The Union Minister for Culture, Tourism and DoNER, Shri G. Kishan Reddy presented the Ustad Bismillah Khan Yuva Puraskar (UBKYP) 2019, 2020 and 2021, at Meghdoot Theatre Complex, Rabindra Bhavan, New Delhi on 15th February. Chairperson of Sangeet Natak Akademi, Dr. Sandhya Purecha presided over the event.
Sangeet Natak Akademi, the national academy of Music, Dance and Drama, and the apex body of the performing arts in the country, in the meeting of its General Council held on 8 November 2022 in New Delhi selected 102 artists (including three joint awards) of India who have made a mark as young talents in their respective fields of performing arts for the Ustad Bismillah Khan Yuva Puraskar 2019, 2020 and 2021. A four-day festival of music, dance and drama would be held from 14-17 February 2023 featuring the recipients of the Ustad Bismillah Khan Yuva Puraskar for the year 2019 at Meghdoot Theatre Complex, Rabindra Bhavan, New Delhi.
Presenting the awards, Shri G. Kishan Reddy congratulated all the artistes on being honored with the Ustad Bismillah Khan Yuva Puraskar. He also said that it has been the country’s tradition to encourage and promote arts. He said that art cannot be separated from India. The Union Minister also added that artists do a great job of taking their art to the next generation.
He further highlighted the fact that 19 artists from the North East region of the country have won the award which shows the changed circumstances of the region . The Union Minister also said that, apart from encouraging all the artists, this award will attract the youth of the country towards traditional history and arts.
The Ustad Bismillah Khan Yuva Puraskar, given to artists up to the age of 40 years, was introduced in the year 2006 with the objective of identifying and encouraging outstanding young talents in diverse fields of the performing arts and giving them national recognition early in their life, so that they may work with greater commitment and dedication in their chosen fields. The Ustad Bismillah Khan Yuva Puraskar carries a purse of Rs 25,000/- (Rupees twenty-five thousand only), an Angavastram and a plaque.