Kalasagar Awards 2016 Presented

THRISSUR:
Kalasagar awards instituted in memory of founder of Kalaswagar and Kathakali chenda maestro Kalamandalam Krishnankutty Poduval, were presented on his 92nd birth anniversary to several artists at Kerala Kalamandalam.
The function was inaugurated by the chief guest Dr. K.G Paulose, the first vice cbancellor of Kerala Kalamandalam Deemed University. Dr. Sadanam Harikumar, Secretary of Sadanam Kathakali Akademy delivered the keynote address, and rich tributes were paid to Krishnankutty Poduval by Dr.Santhosh Akavoor, Secretary, PSV Natya Sangham, Kottakkal, S Narayanan Namboodiri, Programme executive, AIR, Trissur, Dr. C M Neelakandan, Akademic Director, Kerlala Kalamandalam, Smt. Vasanthi Menon, Padmashri Mattanoor Sankarankutty Marar, Kalamandalam Narayanan Nair, Prof. Njayath Balan, Ragaratnam Mannoor Rajakumaranunni and V. Kaladharan. Dr. K K Sundaresan, Registrar of Kerala Kalamandalam presided over the proceedings.
Apart from Kathakali actor FACT Padmanabhan, Kathakali accompanists were also honoured. They included Pathiyoor Sankarankutty (Music), Sadanam Ramakrishnan (Chenda), Kalanilayam Manoj (Maddalam), Kalanilayam Saji (Chutty), Krishnapurarh Murali (Oottenthullal), Sangeeth Chakyar (Chakyaarkoothu), Dr. Indu G (Koodiyattam), Smitha Rajan (Mohiniyattam), Seetha Sasidharan (Bharathanatyam), Geetha Padmakumar (Kuchuppudi), Mattannoor Sanakaran Kutty MararThayambaka), Ch
ottanikkara Nandappan Marar (Panchavadyam – Thimila), Kalamandalam Prakash (Maddalam), Chennamangalam Unnikrishnan Marar (Edakka), Kummath Nandakumaran (Thalam), Chengamanad Appu Nair (Kombu) Bheeshamaprathignya, Kathakali play choreographed by Kalamandalam Krishnan Kutty Poduval was revived and presented by Rajan Poduval in which Kalamandalam Balasubramanian (King Santanu), Peesappilly Rajiv (Satyavathi), Kottakkal Devadas (Daasaraja), Sadanam Krishnadas (Bheeshmar) participated.
The highlight of the event was the presentation of Prahaladacharitham in which Kalamandalam Ramachandranunnithan (Narasimham), Kalamandalam Ravikumar (King Hiranya), Kalamandalam Mukundan
(Shukracharya). Leading artists in Music, Chenda and Maddalam too participated.