Renowned music maestro V Dakshinamoorthy has been selected for this year’s Swathi Sangeetha Puraskaram instituted by the State Cultural Affairs Department and the Kerala Music and Drama Academy. Cultural Affairs Minister K C Joseph told a news conference here on Monday that the award would be presented by Chief Minister Oommen Chandy at 3 pm in the Durbar Hall of the Government Secretariat on April 26, coinciding with the 200th birth anniversary of Swathi Tirunal Maharaja.
Renowned Sarod maestro Ustad Amjad Ali Khan will deliver the keynote address on the occasion.
The Minister said that the Swathi Dance and Music festival would also commence on that day and will take a course till April 29, with the staging of a slew of programmes at the Co-Bank Towers by renowned artistes in various fields. A ‘Smriti Sarod,’ rendered by Ustad Amjad Ali Khan and his sons - Aman Ali Khan and Ayan Ali Khan - will enliven the fest on Friday, the opening day, from 6.45 pm. On Saturday, actress Lakshmi Gopalaswami will perform a ‘Swati Nrithanjali.’