Dr M N Nandakumara and Sivasakthi Sivanesan were honoured with Lifetime Achievement Award and Sangeet Acharya Ratna Award respectively, for their contribution to Indian arts and music. Indian High Commissioner to the UK, Ranjan Mathai presented the awards, at a function held at the Nehru centre recently. Milapfest, an Indian arts development trust hosted and established the awards in order to recognise the dedication of arts professionals working in the field of Indian arts and to celebrate the hard work and passion of young artists.
Dr Nandakumara, Executive Director, has spent virtually all of his working life at the Bharatiya Vidya Bhavan, London. He taught Sanskrit at the Bhavan whilst taking his PhD in devotional literature at the School of Oriental and African Studies at the University of London. He commenced full-time work at the Bhavan in 1984 and took the helm as Executive Director in 1996.
Sivasakthi Sivanesan has been teaching carnatic vocal and Vina at the Bhavan. An outstanding performer in her own right, passes on the knowledge of centuries of music through teaching in the traditional guru-shishya way.
The awards were supported by Arts Council England whose Deputy Chief Executive Ms Althea Efunshile extolled the role of arts and culture.
Other award recipients :-
- Mrs Pushkala Gopal ( Nritya Acharya Award)
- Jasdeep Singh Degun (Tarang Musician of the year)
- Sanjuran Keerthikumar (Samyo Musician of the Year)
- Yarline Thanabalasingham (Young Musician of the Year)
- Parbati Chaudhury (Young Dancer of the Year)
