The Jawaharlal Nehru Manipur Dance Academy, a constituent Unit of the Sangeet Natak Akademi, New Delhi, is the premier institution for teaching of Manipuri Dance and Music and allied subjects like Thang-Ta. Established in 1954, it offers comprehensive courses on the above subjects.
The institution has on its staff teachers of eminence and a Production Unit with a large repertoire of dance-dramas.
The management of the Academy is vested in the Executive Board of the Sangeet Natak Akademi, New Delhi which is assisted by an Advisory Committee chaired by His Excellency, Governor of Manipur in matters of policy and maintenance of standards.
The following is a brief report on the programmes held during 2008-2009.

Academic Unit
The course offered at the Academy are :
Foundation Course (3 years),
Diploma Course (3 years)
Post-Diploma Course (3 years).
The subjects taught are:
Raas, Lai Haraoba, Nat-Sankirtan (Ishei), Nat-Sankirtan Cholom), Nat Sankirtan (Pung), Tribal Dance and Thang-ta (Foundation & Diploma Course only for the latter two).

Scholarships
• The Academy provides 5 scholarships of Rs. 200 per month for 3 years to the best students of Dance and Sankirtan Post-Diploma Course, one each in Raas, Lai Haraoba, Pung, Ishei and Cholom.
• The Academy provides 10 scholarships of Rs. 150 per month for 3 years to the best 5 students each of Dance and Sankirtan Diploma Course.
• A scholarship of Rs. 100 per month for 1 year is provided to the best student of First Year and Second Year Foundation Course at annual examination.
• A number of Free Studentship is provided to meritorious students in all the courses.

Awards
The following gold medals are awarded to deserving students :
• Rajyapal Gold Medal (awarded to the highest mark scoring student of Post-Diploma Course Final Year).
• Lourembam Tombi Gold Medal in Raas (Post-Diploma Course Final Year in Raas).
• Guru Gulapi Gold Medal in Sankirtan (Diploma Course Final Year in Sankirtana).
• Sovita N. Mehta Gold Medal in Dance (Diploma Course Final Year in Dance).
• Khukhu SarkarGold Medal in Raas (Diploma Course Final Year in Raas).

55th Foundation Day
The Foundation day was held on 1st April 2009 at the Academy Auditorium.
Dr. Gurbachan Singh, the Governor of Manipur and Chairman of the Academy and Shri A. Syam Sharma graced the occasion as Chief Guest and President respectively.
1. Km. L. Bidyashwori Devi : Rajyapal Gold Medal
Post Diploma Course, 3rd Yr. (Lai Haraoba)
2. Shri E. Jayanta Singh : Guru Gulapi Gold Medal
Diploma Course, (Sankirtana)
3. Km. S. Subharani Devi : Sovita N. Mehta Gold Medal
Diploma Course, (Dance) & Khukhu Sarkar Gold
Medal (Winner of two Medals)
4. Smt. Lata Thounaojam : Rajyapal Gold Medal & L. Tombi Gold medal (Winner of two Medals)
Post Diploma Course, (Raas).

The Gold Medalists presented Solo items on Dance and Music. The students of the Academy also presented various programme of Manipuri Dance & Music. The function was well attended and widely covered by print and electronic media.

New Session
The Academic Session of the Academy started for the year 2008-09 was started from 16th April. The Half yearly examination was held from 12-25 September 2008.

Students on roll
The total students on roll for all courses were 450. 332 students appeared and 316 students passed in teh Annual Examination.

Annual Examination
The Annual Examination for all courses were held from February 11 - 23, 2009. The service of 20 external examiners were utilized for conducting the examination of all courses, in addition to the existing gurus of the Academy.