Five renowned artists of Assam will receive the prestigious ‘Sangeet Natak Akademi Amrit Award’ from the Vice-President of India Jagdeep Dhankar on Saturday.

The artists who will be awarded tomorrow are Hari Bora Borbayan for Sattriya, Dharmeswar Nath for Byas Ojhapali, Guru Prasad Ojah for Sattriya Ojapali (Byas Kirtan), Minoti Khaund for Hindustani Instrumental (Violin) and Makhan Chandra Borah Folk Music and Dance of Assam.

The awards will be conferred to a total of 84 artists from the field of performing arts by Jagdeep Dhankar on the occasion of ‘Azadi Ka Amrit Mahotsav’ at a ceremony organized at the Vigyan Bhawan in New Delhi tomorrow, a statement from the Ministry of Culture said.

All recipients are aged over 75 years and haven’t been accorded any national honour in their career so far.  

Addressing a press conference on the award ceremony, Chairman of Sangeet Natak Akademi, Dr. Sandhya Purecha said the awards is a national honour bestowed on performing artists as well as teachers and scholars in the field of performing arts. The recipients are selected by the Akademi’s General Council, consisting of distinguished musicians, dancers, theatre artists and scholars in these disciplines and nominees of the Government of India, States Governments, and Union Territories.

She further informed that the honour carries prize money of Rs 1 lakh besides a Tamrapatra and Angavastram.