The General Council of Sangeet Natak Akademi, the National Academy of Music, Dance and Drama, New Delhi, at its meeting held from 6-8 November 2022 at New Delhi unanimously elected Ten (10) eminent personalities in the field of performing arts as Akademi Fellows. The Fellowship of the Akademi is a most prestigious and rare honour, which is restricted to 40 at any given time. With the election of ten (10) Fellows, there are presently (39) Fellows of Sangeet Natak Akademi.
The General Council also selected one hundred and twenty-eight (128) artists from the field of Music, Dance, Theatre, Traditional/Folk/Tribal Music/Dance/Theatre, Puppetry and Overall contribution/scholarship in the Performing Arts for the Sangeet Natak Akademi Awards (Akademi Puraskar) for the years 2019, 2020 & 2021. These one hundred and twenty eight (128) artists include three joint awards.
The eminent artists cover the entire gamut of the performing arts such as vocal music, both Hindustani and Carnatic; instrumental music, both Hindustani and Carnatic including Flute, Sitar and Mridangam; Sugam Sangeet as well as Harikatha; the major forms of Indian dance such as Bharatanatyam, Kathak, Kathakali, Kuchipudi, Odissi, Sattriya, Mohiniattam as well as Contemporary Dance; the different specializations of theatre such as playwriting, direction, acting, make-up, lighting, stage design; the other major traditions of theatre like Isai Natakam; the folk and tribal arts as well as the arts of puppetry and instrument making.
The honour of Akademi Fellow carries a purse money of Rs.3,00,000/- (Rupees three lakh) while the Akademi Award carries a purse money of Rs 1,00,000/- (Rupees one lakh), besides a Tamrapatra and Angavastram.
The Sangeet Natak Akademi Awards will be conferred by the President of India in a special investiture ceremony.