NEW DELHI: The Sangeet Natak Akademi's tableaux at the Republic Day parade depicting classical music instruments has been awarded the first prize for being the best of the 21 tableaux this year.

The Akademi's tableau showcased musical instruments like the veena, shankha, dumsa, santoor and the tabla — symbolising the rich diversity of Indian culture. The Sangeet Natak Akademi is under the Union Culture ministry.

The second prize went to Goa which had a tableau highlighting the annual International Film Festival of India. Goa has been the permanent venue of the Festival since 2004.

Perhaps for the first time in living memory, the Republic Day Parade this year had two tableaux devoted to the film industry.

Apart from the Goa tableaux, the Tripura tableaux was devoted to a national heritage of the state – the late maestro Sachin Dev Burman whose music with its adherence to folk music is still so rich and popular and has gone beyond the confines of Bollywood 

SD Burman, father of the late Rahul Dev Burman, had begun his career as a music director as far back as 1937 with �Rajgeer' and gave music to important films such as �Sujata', �Mili'. Bandini', �Baazi', �House number 44', �Munimji', �Devdas', Nau do gyarah', �Paying Guest', �Pyaasa', �Chalti ka naam Gaadi', �Kaagaz ka Phool', �Tere Mere Sapne', �Prem Pujari', �Mili' and �Chupke Chupke'. His career lasted for forty years and around forty films. He died in October 1975 at the age of 69.