MUMBAI: 33 young artists who have made a mark in performing arts were rewarded Ustad Bismillah Khan Yuva Puraskar of the Sangeet Natak Akademi for the year 2009, out of which nine musicians were felicitated. The awards were presented yesterday by Sangeet Natak Akademi vice chairman Shri Ratan Thiyam. The artistes have been selected from all over the country by the General Council of the Akademi.

In the meadow of Music, eight puraskars were given to nine young artists which includes one joint award. The awarded artistes are Omkar Shrikant Dadarkar (Hindustani Vocal), Murad Ali (Sarangi), Sanjeev Shankar and Ashwani Shankar (Joint award for Shehnai-Hindustani Instrumental Music), CS Sajeev (Carnatic Vocal), Chandan Kumar (Flute), V Balaji (Mridangam-Carnatic Instrumental Music), Anil Srinivasan (Creative and Experimental Music), Moirangthem Meina Singh (Other Major Traditions of Music–Nata Sankirtana of Manipur).

Other art forms like Traditional/Folk/Tribal Dance/Music/Theatre and Puppetry were also appreciated and honored. Reshma Musale from Maharashtra (Lavani and Tamasha) (Maharastra), K Nellai Manikandan from Tamil Nadu (Folk Dance), Hmar Zohmingliana from Mizoram (Tribal Dance and Music), Takhellambam Shyamkanhai Singh from Manipur (Wari Leeba), TR Sooraj Nambiar from Kerela (Kutiyattam) and Shah-e-Jahan Ahmad Bhagat from Jammu and Kashmir (Bhand Pather), Nazia Sayeed from Orissa (Odissi Music) and Lala Bhata from Rajasthan (Kathputli) are the awardees.

The �Ustad Bismillah Khan Yuva Puraskar' was instituted in the year 2006 by Sangeet Natak Akademi, the National Academy of Music, Dance and Drama, an autonomous body of Ministry of Culture, Government of India and apex institution of performing arts The Puraskar covers music, dance, theatre, puppetry and other traditional, folk and tribal forms of performing arts. It is given to performing artists below the age of 35 years

The puraskar is meant to encourage outstanding young talents in diverse fields of performing arts and give them national recognition early in life so that they may work with greater commitment and dedication in life-long pursuit of their chosen art form.

Also, a week-long festival of music, dance and theatre featuring some of the recipients of the awards will be held from 10-17 August at Kamani Auditorium, New Delhi.