New Delhi: Sarod maestro Ustad Amjad Ali Khan and eminent violinist Dr N Rajam received the SaMaPa Vitasta Lifetime Achievement awards over the weekend, while the �SaMaPa Sher-e-Kashmir Sheikh Mohd. Abdullah Award 2010' was conferred upon the veteran Pahari and Gojri singer, Abdul Rashid Qureshi.

The awards,  instituted by the Sopori Academy of Music And Performing Arts, were given away by Union Minister for New & Renewable Energy Farooq Abdullah at the commencement of the SaMaPa Sangeet Sammelan held annually as a tribute to Indian and particularly Kashmiri culture. The festival also featured a painting exhibition by artists from Jammu & Kashmir.

Also present on the occasion were Uttar Pradesh Governor B L Joshi, Padmashri Ms. Shameem Azad, and Ustad Asad Ali.

While the Vitasta award carries a cash component of Rs 50,000, the award named after Sheikh Abdullah carries a cash prize of Rs. 25,000.

Both Ustad Amjad Ali Khan and Dr Rajam were honoured for their lifetime contribution in the field of Indian Classical Instrumental Music, and  Mukesh Garg received the â€?SaMaPa Acharya Abhinavgupt Samman' for his lifetime contribution to Indian music as a musicologist and critic.

While the award announcement was made by internationally acclaimed Santoor maestro and composer Abhay Rustum Sopori, the awardees were selected by an award committee comprising Dr Farooq Abdullah, SaMaPa Chairman Pandit Bhajan Sopori, and Ms Azad, apart from other committee members.