Ustad Bismillah Khan Yuva Puraskar
Mysuru: Noted Bharatanatyam artiste Mukkatira Shilpa Nanjappa from Kodagu has received the prestigious Ustad Bismillah Khan Yuva Puraskar-2024 from Sangeet Natak Akademi (SNA) in ‘Overall Contribution and Scholarship in the Performing Arts’ category.
The award was presented to her at a ceremony at the Meghdoot Complex, Rabindra Bhavan, New Delhi, on Oct. 19. The event honoured 106 young artistes from across the country for their contributions to music, dance, theatre and traditional performing arts.
Union Minister for Culture and Tourism Gajendra Singh Shekhawat presented the awards. SNA Chairperson Sandhya Purecha and Ministry of Culture Secretary Vivek Aggarwal were present.
Ustad Bismillah Khan Yuva Puraskar is a prestigious national recognition for young performing artistes under 40. Shilpa is the first person from Kodagu and the first Kodavathi to receive the award.
She is also the first female Bharatanatyam artiste from Karnataka to win the honour and the fourth Bharatanatyam artiste from the State to receive it.
The award recognises her efforts to document, preserve and promote Kodava culture and heritage through academic research, alongside a performing career spanning nearly three decades.
Born in Kandanakolli village in Somwarpet taluk of Kodagu district, Shilpa is the daughter of Allaranda Uthappa and Kaveriamma. She is married to Mukkatira Pavan Nanjappa and is also an ‘A’ grade artiste of Doordarshan.
