NEW DELHI, April 11 � President Pranab Mukherjee today conferred the Sangeet Natak Akademi Awards to traditional Tokari Geet and Dehbichar Geet singer of Assam Umakanta Bairagi for the year 2013 at a function at the Rashtrapati Bhavan here today.
Bairagi was among the eight artists who were honoured with the Akademi�s Awards for their work in traditional, folk and tribal dance, music, theatre and puppetry. The Sangeet Natak Akademi awardees received a purse of Rs 1 lakh, an angavastram and a tamrapatra.
The President also conferred fellowships (Akademi Ratna) on Dr Kanak Rele, R Sathyanarayana, and Mahesh Elkunchwar. The fellows received a purse of Rs 3 lakh, an angavastram and a tamrapatra.
