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Thursday, May 31, 2012

TAGORE RATNA AWARD FOR KATHAKALI ARTISTE MANKOMBU SIVASANKARA PILLAI


TAGORE RATNA AWARD FOR KATHAKALI ARTISTE MANKOMBU SIVASANKARA PILLAI
The Kendra Sangeet Natak Akademi's one-time ‘Tagore Ratna' award was presented to Mankombu Sivasankara Pillai, veteran Kathakali artiste, at the his residence at Chengannur on Wednesday30th May,2012..The Akademi has instituted the award in commemoration of the 150th birth anniversary of Rabindranath Tagore to honour 50 artistes above 75 years of age who have made significant contributions in the field of performing arts.The award presentation ceremony was held in Chennai on May 2.The 90-year-old Sivasankara Pillai, who has been bedridden following a cerebral haemorrhage for the past 10 years, could not attend the ceremony.
Sadanam Balakrishnan, advisory committee member of the Akademi, accompanied by Yeshpaul, akademi official, reached the artiste's house at Chengannur town to present the award to him on Wednesday.Saraswathy Amma, Mr. Sivasankara Pillai's wife, and Sreekumar, his son, greeted the guests and the award comprising a purse of Rs.3 lakh, a citation, and a shawl was presented to him at a simple function held at the artiste's residence. C.K. Sivarama Pillai, the former Principal of Kalady Sree Sankara College, who is the artiste's brother and co-author of his book Kathakali Swaroopom , was present on the occasion.

Prof. John Kurakar

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