T.N. Seshagopalan conferred ‘Sangeeta Vidyanidhi’ title by Siva Ganga Sangeeta Parishad

The 23rd Annual Music and Dance Festival of Andhra Music Academy honors Carnatic musician Madurai T.N. Seshagopalan.

The 23rd Annual Music and Dance Festival of Andhra Music Academy’s Siva Ganga Sangeeta Parishad commenced at Kalabharati Auditorium in Visakhapatnam on Friday.

Renowned Carnatic musician Madurai T.N. Seshagopalan was honoured with the title of ‘Sangeeta Vidyanidhi’ at the inaugural function of the three-day music festival.

Seshagopalan, who is also an accomplished Harikatha exponent, was conferred the Padma Bhushan by the Government of India in recognition of his contributions to Carnatic music.

Noted violinist, Padma Shri awardee and ‘Sangeeta Vidyanidhi’ Avasarala Kanyakumari, who was the chief guest at the inaugural function, felicitated Seshagopalan with the citation.

Former Chief Secretary L.V. Subrahmanyam, who is also the president of Siva Ganga Sangeeta Parishad, presided over the function.

The Academy conducts dance festivals and music concerts and dance performances by eminent musicians and dance maestros every year, and confers titles on leading musicians and dancers. In the last 23 years, Siva Ganga Sangeeta Parishad/Andhra Music Academy has conferred the ‘Sangeeta Vidyanidhi’ title on 25 renowned musicians and ‘Natya Vidyanidhi’ on 11 renowned dance maestros in Kuchipudi, Bharatanatyam, Perini, Mohiniattam and Odissi disciplines.

In all, 21 music and dance festival, 16 Sarada Sangeetotsavams, 11 Vaggeyakara festivals and 21 Lec-dems (lecture demonstrations), national festival of dance and national music festival for youth have been conducted so far, according to Dr. G. Prabhakar, managing trustee of the parishad.