AKADEMIES AND NATIONAL SCHOOL OF DRAMA
For preserving, fostering and developing the creative arts-the Government of India has set up three National Akademies, viz. Sahitya Akademi, Sangeet Natak Akademi, Lalit Kala Akademi and the National School of Drama. The main activities undertaken by these organisation during the year are give below :
Sahitya Akademi, New Delhi The main activities of the Sahitya Akademi are : popularising writers and language-literature beyond their language boundaries through translations, literary awards to outstanding books of literary merit and fellowship honours and through its publication programme; assessing literary trends and encouraging experiments in the various Indian languages through its various journals; encouraging younger generation writes through its various workshops; travel grants and other schemes. The Akademi is now compiling a detailed Encyclopaedia of Indian Literature with the help of over 1000 writers belonging to the 22 recognised languages.
During the year the Akademi organised three seminars and two work shops :
1. Permchand International Seminar
The International Seminar to mark the birth anniversary of Munshi Premchand, which was held in New Delhi from March 26 to 28, 1981, was concluded at Varansasi from July 29, to 31, 1981.
2. National Seminar on Puran Singh
A National Seminar was organised on September 14 and 15, 1981 at Chandigarh on the theme Sufism and Bahakiti in Mediaeval Indian Poetry'.
3. National Seminar on Puran Singh
A National Seminar in honour of the Modem Punjabi pioneer Puran Singh was organised on September 15 and 16, '1981 at Chandigarh on the theme "The Search for National Identity in Eatly Indian Poetry'.
A Writers' workshop on Criticism of Fiction was organised at Aurangabad from January 17 to 21, 1982, in which writers in Assames, Bengali, and Sindhi participated.
Another Writers' workshop on Criticism of Fiction was organised at Calcutta from March 23 to 26, 1982, in which writers in Assamese, Bengali, Manipuri and Oriya participated.
The Akademi published several new titles in its 'Makers of Indian Literature' series and translations of these and earlier monographs were published in major languages. Seventy new publications are likely to be brought out in 1982- 83.
Six issues of Indian Literature (English Journal) and four issues of Samkaleen Bharteeya Sahitya (Hindi Journal) were also published during this period.
Sangeet Natak Akademi, New delhi The Sangeet Natak Akademi is a National institution set up for promotion of performing arts. It acts at the National level for promotion and growth of Indian music, dance and theatre arts, maintenance of standards of training in the field of performing arts, to revive and preserve, document and disseminate classical, tribal and folk art forms of music, dance and drama and to give recognition and award to outstanding artistes. The Akademi has two constituent units namely, (1) Kathak Kendra, New Delhi and (2) Jawaharlal Nehru Manipur Dance Academy, Imphal where training is imparted in Kathak Dencee and Manipuri Dance respectively.
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Cultural Programmes One of the items of work undertaken by the Akademi for promotion of performing arts is, through cultural Programme. The important programmes organised/planned for 1982-83 are as under :
(i) Khyal festival held at Dundlod in cooperation with Rajasthan Sangeet Natak Akademi in April, 1982.
(ii) Conferred Fellowship on Dr. V. K. Narayana Menon.
(iii) Special ceremony for awarding-scroll of honour to 26 veteran gurus of Manipur in July 1982.
(iv) Festival of Maharas presented in temples of Delhi in collaboration with Delhi Sahitya Kala Parishad in August 1982.
(v) An exhibition of Indian musical instruments and photographs was sent to Bristol, the U.K. in July/August 1982.
(vi) Silver Jubilee Exhibition was inaugurated by Chairman in New Delhi on August 24, 1982. This exhibition will go to other important cities in the near future.
(vii) A festival of tribal arts of Maharashtra at Kinwat to be organised in collaboration with Indian National Theatre, Bombay.
(viii) Dhrupad Mela to be held in Ambajagoi, Maharashtra.
(ix) A festival of light classical music presented in Delhi in October 1982 in collaboration with Geetika.
(x) Annual awards ceremony and festival of music, dance and drama by the awardees for 1982.
(xi) A festival of Byalatta/Bhakti festival.
(xii) (a) Maharaja Kalka Bindadin Kathak Mahotsav,
(b) Students presentation of Kathak Dances and
(c) Dance Drama 'Hori Dhoom Machori' by Kathak Kendra.
(xiii) Shadow theatre workshop-cum- festival at Bangalore in collaboration with Crafts Council, Bangalore.
(xiv), Puppet festival in Delhi.
(xv) Two zonal drama competitions comprising 8 theatre groups.
The Akademi also organises five music festivals in different states under the. scheme of organising Music Festivals.
Cultural troupes are sent to different states throughout the country under the scheme of Inter- State Exchange of Cultural Troupes in collaboration with various State Governments/Akadmies.
The Akademi has for the first time identified 74 institutions for giving block grants for the ensuing five years with effect from year 1982-83 and till 1986-87. In addition, grants have been sanctioned to 187 institutions/State Akademies on ad hoc basis during the current year.
A new scheme of grants to institutions dealing with folklore has been approved by the Department of Culture with a budget provision of Rs. 1.00 lakh for the years 1982-83 and 1983-84.
It is proposed to, hold two zonal drama competitions during 1982-83 under the scheme of Assistance to Young Theatre Workers.
Fellowships/Training Programmes The Akademi offers fellowships to outstanding students in the fields of performing arts for advance training under eminent gurus/institutions. Fellowships awarded and training programmes undertaken are given below :
Koodiyattam training under gruru Mani Madhava Chakiar and Ammannur Madhava Chakiar.
Dhrupad training under Pt. Siyaram. Tiwari, Ustad N. A. Daggar and Shri Ramchatur Malik.
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Sarangi training under Shri Ram Narain.
Been training under Ustad Asad Ali Khan.
Pakhawaj training under Purushottam. Das Ji.
Aribapala training under supervision of Jawaharlal Nehru Manipur Dance Academy.
Training in Ashtapadi singing under supervision of Shri G. Sankara Pillai.
Training in Bhaona and Deodhani, Adyatma Ramayana and NavJanardanam under Shri Natraj Rama krishna.
Panchmukhavadyam-Percussion instruments of Himachal Pradesh under supervision of Shri S. S. S. Thakur.
Training in Temple dance, Mysore tradition under supervision of Dr. Sint. Venkatalakshamma.
The Akademi has been imparting specialised. training in the fields of Kathak and Manipuri dances through its two, constituent units. These are continuing programmes.
Documentation and Dissemination The important recordings/documentation done during 1982-83 are as under :
Video documentation of Tanavarnam by Ms Leela Ramanathan. Recording of Pt. Amar Nath.
Recording of Shri K. K. Kumaraswamy, Shri Ramnad Eswaran and awardees for 1982 and 1983.
The Akademi proposes to make two films-one on Krishnattam by Sanjeev Prakash and the other on Bhoota Nritya by Shri B. V. Karanth.
The Akademi is also planning to produce LP records and cassettes.
The Akademi has added a large number of disc records and books to its collection of music, dance and drama and allied subjects.
All the important events being organised by Akademi directly or in collaboration with State Akademics/Governments or institutions are being documented for enrichment of Akademi Archives.
Publications During 1982-83 the Akademi has so far brought out two issues of Sangeet Natak (Nos. 59 and 60) and a special issue Silver Jubilee Commemorative Volume'. It is proposed to bring out at least 4 more journals during this period- so that the publications may be up to date. The publications brought out/under print by the Akademi are
Himachal Ke Lok Sangeet by Keshav Anand
Who's Who of Indian Musicians
Pushti Sangeet Prakash
Mridang Tabal Vadan Paddhati
Monograph on Bhaona by Prof. Neog
Sangeet Natak Bulletin
The Akademi will also publish monographs on Pabiji Ki Parh, Tolpava Koothu, Krishnaparijat, Shadow puppets of Karnataka and Andhra Pradesh, Kala Sutra of Maharashtra, Marathi Stage Sangeet, Terukoothu, masks in Indian theatre. Koothambalam by Shri G. Panchal and Mridang Vadan Nathdwara tradition by Shri Purushottam Dasji.
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In addition, the, Akademi assisted publication of books on music, dance and drama by giving financial assistance for which 16 institutions/authors have been identified for the year 1982-83.
The Akademi is also assisting publication of (i) Companion to Indian Music, (ii) Dictionary of Music under supervision of Banaras Hindu University.
General The Akademi has initiated training programmes, renovation of puppet sets and repertoire, organisation of festival-cum-workshop on puppet theatre and experimentation in contemporary puppet theatre. Training programmes are conducted for the, following traditional puppet theatre forms so that the traditions, do not die out
Tolpava Koothu, Ravanchhaya, Kundhai Natcha, Sakhi Kundhai, Gome-atta, Tholu Bommalata, Togalu Gornbe-atta.
Lalit Kala Akademi, New Delhi The activities of the Lalit Kala Akademi cover organisation of art exhibitions, publication of art books, journals, multicolour reproductions, monographs and prints, holding of artists camps, fellows Ceremonies, Lecture and Films/Slides presentations:
Exhibitions 1. During March-April the Akademi organised the Fifth TriennaleIndia of Contemporary World Art in which, besides India, 44 countries participated.
2. Second Rashtriya Kala Mela was organised during March-April. 179 stalls were provided for different categories.
3. During March-April the Akademi organised its 25th National Exhibition of Art 1982.
4. The Fourth World Exhibition of Photographs in collaboration with the Max Mueller Bhavan.
5. An Exhibition of Historical Miniatures by Veneta Simenova in collaboration with the Bulgarian Cultural Centre.
6. Exhibition of Morphologic Studies in collaboration with the Max Mueller Bhavan and Bharatiya Vidya Bhavan.
7. An Exhibition of 450 photographs by 132 photographers collected by the photo artists presented by the Lalit Kala Akademi.
8. Exhibition of Graphic Works of Bulgarian artist Yuli Minche.
9. An Exhibition of prints by William Daniell entitled 'A Voyage around Great Britain' in collaboration with the British Council.
10. The Akademi sponsored an exhibition of Madhava Menon by providing all facilities free of charge.
11. The Akademi sponsored an Exhibition of Gopesh Chakravarty by providing all facilities to the artist free of charge.
12. An Exhibition of Graphics by 16 artists was sent to Cuba accompanied by Shri Jyoti Bhatt.
13. The Akademi organised an Exhibition of art works from its permanent collection in the India International Trade Fair from November 1-14, 1982.
14. The Akademi organised an Exhibition of its publications and multicolour Reproductions at the Asiad Village in connection with the IX Asian Games.
15. An Exhibition of paintings by Yadamsuran from Mongolia was presented by the Lalit Kala Akademi under Cultural Exchange Programme. After Delhi, the Exhibition has been sent to Chandigarh.
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Camps
1. The Akademi proposes to hold a Painters Camp at Trichur during the month of January/February 1983.
Publications
The following publications were brought out during the year :
1. Lalit Kala Ancient No. 20
2. Paintings from the collection of Los Angeles Museum