Award for vocalist Nagaraj Rao

DHARWAD: Hindustani vocalist Nagaraj Rao Havaldar of Hospet in Bellary district has been selected for Sangeeta Ratna Award-2011 instituted by Salt Lake Cultural Association (Kolkata). Senior vocalist Konkana Banerjee will also recieive the honour along with Havaldar.
The award will be presented at Salt Lake music festival to be held at Kolkata on January 16. Havaldar will perform at Jadhavpur University on January 14 and at Salt lake festival on January 16.
Salt Lake Cultural Association and State Bank of India have been conducting the festival for the last 24 years in collaboration with eastern zonal cultural centre.Havaldar is the first form Karnataka to get this honour.
Havaldar (51) is a disciple Pandit Madhava Gudi, himself a prime disciple of Kirana scion Pandit Bhimsen Joshi. He is also a disciple of Pandit Panchakshari Swami Mattigatti, a senior disciple of Pandit Mallikarjun Mansur, imbibing the niceties of Jaipur-Atrauli Gharana.