Ustad Bismillah Khan Yuva Puruskar

Context

The Sangeet Natak Akademi conferred the Ustad Bismillah Khan Yuva Puruskar for the years 2022 and 2023 to 82 young artists in recognition of their contribution to performing arts.

About the Award

• Instituted by: Sangeet Natak Akademi in 2006.
• Named After: Bharat Ratna Ustad Bismillah Khan, an iconic Shehnai maestro.
• Eligibility:
  • Awarded to young performing artists up to the age of 40 years.
• Categories Covered:
  • Music, Dance, Drama, Folk & Tribal Arts, and Puppetry.
• Prize Details:
  • Cash Prize: ₹25,000.
  • Plaque and Angavastram (traditional ceremonial cloth).

About Ustad Bismillah Khan

• Legacy:
  • One of India’s most celebrated classical musicians, renowned for popularizing the Shehnai on the global stage.
• Awards and Recognitions:
  • Third classical musician to receive Bharat Ratna (India’s highest civilian honor), after M. S. Subbulakshmi and Ravi Shankar.
  • Recipient of all three Padma Awards – Padma Shri, Padma Bhushan, and Padma Vibhushan.
• Contribution:
  • Elevated Shehnai from a folk instrument to a respected medium of classical music.
  • Associated with significant national events, including the first Independence Day celebrations in 1947.

Significance of the Award

• Encourages and motivates young talent in India’s performing arts traditions.
• Preserves and promotes the country’s rich cultural heritage in traditional and contemporary forms.
• Honors the legacy of Ustad Bismillah Khan, inspiring artists to excel in their craft.