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The President of India, Dr.
A.P.J. Abdul Kalam, inaugurated the golden jubilee celebrations of Sangeet Natak
Akademi on 28 January 2003 at Siri Fort Auditorium, New Delhi. The inauguration
was followed by a three-day festival in which leading musicians, dancers, and a
playwright director - all Fellows of the Akademi - presented their performances.
At the inauguration, the Siri
Fort Auditorium wore a festive look with festoons, banners and a display of
photographs in the foyer offering a glimpse of the activities of Sangeet Natak
Akademi since its formation on 28 January 1953.
The President was ushered in
with Panchavadyam, featuring musicians from the International Centre for
Kathakali, in Delhi. The stage came alive as thirteen distinguished Fellows of
the Akademi took their seats to the accompaniment of Dhol and Mohuri (played by
artistes and trainees associated with the Akademi's project supporting the Chhau
dance tradition of eastern India).
The Fellow on the stage followed
the President in lighting 50 ceremonial lamps on the stage. The auditorium
resounded with the beat of the Pung Dhol of Manipur, the Nagaswaram of Tamil
Nadu, and the Mizhavu of Kerala. A seven-piece women's Veena ensemble from
Bangalore regaled the audience with Golden Showers, a special composition
for the occasion.
The President felicitated the
Fellows of the Akademi with a golden jubilee memento and a shawl: Pandit Ravi
Shankar, Ustad Bismillah Khan, Ebrahim Alkazi, Vedantam Satyanarayana Sarma, Dr.
Kapila Vatsyayan, Komal Kothari, Kelucharan Mohapatra, Mrinalini Vikram Sarabhai,
Ammannur Madhava Chakyar, Badal Sircar, Pandit Birju Maharaj, Vijay Tendulkar
and Dr. M. Balamurali Krishna. On behalf of all the Fellow, Pandit Ravi Shankar
expressed his thanks to Sangeet Natak Akademi for its work.
Overwhelmed by the presence of
the eminent artists on the stage, President Kalam said: " I listen to the
work of these artistes almost every day. When I see this esteemed group of
people before me I feel that I have orbited the sun 72 times but never in my 71
years have I ever felt so happy and honoured than here in the presence of such a
galaxy of artistes."
He congratulated the Akademi for
having lived up to the expectations with which it was formed 50 years ago.
" I would like to request the great masters present here to sing the song
of India, a song to unite minds and souls," Dr. Kalam Said.
The inauguration ceremony was
presided over by the Union Minister for Tourism and Culture, Shri Jagmohan, and
the Minister of State for Tourism and Culture, Shri Vinod Khanna. The Chairman
of the Akademi, Dr. Bhupen Hazarika, in his address summed up the Akademi's
growth over the last 50 years. "We can now look back and think of our
objectives and keep up our efforts to preserve the country's culture," he
said.
The felicitation ceremony
concluded with a vote of thanks by the Akademi's Vice-Chairman, Shri Shyamanand
Jalan.
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