Kathakali artist and recipient of Central and State Sangeeta Nataka Akademi awards Sadanam Krishnankutty has been selected for the Kerala Kalamandalam Fellowship for 2012.
Kalamandalam Vice-Chancellor P N Suresh told reporters here on Tuesday that Sadanam Krishnankutty was selected for the fellowship considering his outstanding contribution to the field of kathakali as a performing artist. The fellowship carries a purse of `25,000, a citation and a plaque.
Kathakali artist Chavara Parukutty has been selected for the Kalaratnam Award for her outstanding contribution to the field as a female performing artist. The award carries a cash prize of `10,000 and a citation.
The other Kalamandalam awards winners include Kalamandalam Balasubramanyan (kathakali acting), Kalamandalam P G Radhakrishnan (kathakali music), Kalamandalam Unnikrishnan (Chenda), Kalanilyam Babu (madhalam), Kottakkal Balakrishnan (chutty), Kalamandalam Sreedharan Nambeesan (thimila), Kalamandalam Vijayamukundan (dance), P Damodaran Nair (krishnattom), and Thamarakudi Karunakaran Master (thullal). The awards carry a cash prize of `15,000, a citation and a plaque each.
R Sreekumar’s book ‘Kathakali Mudra’ has been selected for the award for the best kathakali-related book. The award also carries a cash prize of `15,000, a citation and a plaque. Kalamandalam Vyshakh has been selected for the Yuva Pratibha award, which carries a purse of `3,000 and a citation. This is the first time Kalamandalam has introduced an award in this segment, the Vice-Chancellor said.
Ettumanur P Kannan has been selected for the Bhagavathar Kunjunni Thampuran Endowment, which carries a purse of `3,000.
Bharatanatyam dancer Rajasree Warrier has been selected for the V S Sharma Endowment, which carries a cash prize of `3,000 and a citation.
Kalpetta Balakrishnan has been selected for the Mukundaraja Endowment award, which carries a purse of `5,000, a citation and a plaque.
Culture Minister K C Joseph will present the fellowship and the awards at a function to be held as part of the annual day celebrations of the Kalamandalam at Cheruthuruthi on November 9.
A committee headed by the Vice-Chancellor (chairman) and Pandalam Sudhakaran (vice-chairman) selected the award winners.
Madavur Vasudevan Nair, Mankulam Krishnan Namboothiri, Kalamandalam Sathybhama, Vasanthhi Menon, and Professor Vattaparambil Gopinath Pillai are the other members of the committee.