CHENNAI: The Chennai Cultural Academy Trust (previously known as the Nungambakkam Cultural Academy Trust), recently inaugurated its Fine Arts Festival 2017. The festival, which will go on till January 4, 2018, will have various cultural programmes including dance, music and drama. S Natarajan, founder and general secretary, reminisced the earlier days of the trust and recalled the day that N Nalli Kuppusami Chetty took over as the president. He narrated,“He took over as the president when we were celebrating our silver jubilee and now we are successfully running on our 50th year...it is indeed a great achievement for us here at our sabha.”
The programme began with a Mangala Isai Nadaswaram Mambalam MKS Siva and party, then an invocation song by Ranjini Hariharan. It was followed by a presidential address by Nalli Kuppusami Chetty. The chief guest for the programme was BK Krishnaraj Vanavarayar, chairman, KCT College, Coimbatore. Suresh Raman, CAO, Chennai division, TCS; G Srinivasan, chairman, New India Assurance, YV Hari Krishnan, MD, Gopuram Products; Dr V Mohan, chairman, Mohan Diabetes Specialities Centre and
P Santhanakrishnan, chartered accountant, were also present at the inaugural ceremony. The sabha also conferred awards and titles to some artistes for their dedication and contribution to the field of arts. The awardees included — Clarinet player AKC Natarajan with lifetime achievement award, vocalists OS Thyagarajan and Neyveli Santhanagopalan with Sangeetha Kala Siromani; Bharatanatyam dancer Sheela Unnikrishnan with Nrithya Kala Siromani and Maadhu of Crazy Creations with Nataka Kala Siromani. Lion Premnath was also honoured with the CCA Excellence award.
Neyveli Santhanagopalan said, “It is an honour for me. I am closely associated with this sabha, and although we have all performed across different sabhas, there is something so unique and special about singing here.” Clarinet AKC Natarajan and party performed during the event.