Aruna Sairam chosen for music academy’s Sangita Kalanidhi

CHENNAI: Madras Music Academy has selected Carnatic vocalist Aruna Sairam for this year’s Sangita Kalanidhi award.
A decision to this effect was taken at the executive committee meeting of the academyhere on Sunday. The vocalist will preside over the music academy’s December music festival this year..
“Aruna Sairam can be credited with taking the art to a very wide audience,bothin India and abroad.She is also known for her collaborative exercise in music with artists of other countries and genres,” said academy president N Murali in a press release. Mridangam artist Thanjavur R Ramadas and vocalist K Omanakutty will receive the Kala Acharya award.
Veena and nagaswaram players and teachers Kalyani Ganesan and S R G Rajanna have been chosen for the TTK awards.ACarnatic andHindustani musician and vice chancellor of Tamil Nadu University of Fine Arts Prameela Gurumurthy has been selected for musicologist award, while veteran danseuse Shanta Dhananjayan will get Nrithya Kalanidhi award. A kathakali and Carnatic music exponent, Shanta and her husband V P Dhananjayan has created several dance productions.
The awards will be presented in January 2019.