SPEECH BY HER EXCELLENCY THE PRESIDENT OF INDIA, SHRIMATI PRATIBHA DEVISINGH PATIL, AT THE PRESENTATION OF THE FELLOWSHIP AND AWARDS OF THE SANGEET NATAK AKADEMI FOR THE YEAR 2007

New Delhi, 26 February 2008

Ladies and Gentlemen,

I am glad to be present here at the award ceremony of the Sangeet Natak Akademi. I would like to congratulate Dr. Sushil Kumar Saxena for being elected a Fellow of the Akademi. I would also like to convey my congratulations to all the 33 artists who have been conferred the Sangeet Natak Akademi Awards for the year 2007 in recognition of the excellence they have achieved in their respective fields of performing arts.

Since its inception in 1952 the Sangeet Natak Akademi, as the apex body of the performing arts, has contributed to the preservation and conservation of our cultural heritage. It sponsors festivals, seminars and conferences on performing arts; encourages exchange of ideas and enrichment of techniques between different regions with respect to performing arts; helps to revive and preserve folk music, folk drama and folk dance and also promotes the development of children's theatre and research in the field of Indian music, dance, and drama. Its annual awards are the highest national recognition of the contribution made by artistes to various fields of performing arts. We must encourage the Sangeet Natak Akademi to continue its work in the field of art and culture.

India occupies an important place on the cultural map of the world. We can be justly proud of our rich and varied culture. We are one of the oldest and continuous civilizations of the world. This has been possible because of our inherent strengths and resilience as well as our ability to incorporate change and cope with new ideas without losing our basic character and values. Resultantly, today, we have inherited a valuable range of art, literature, monuments, customs and traditions that enrich our lives. Each one of us must honour the cultural legacy left to us by our forefathers and contribute to its preservation for our future generation. Under the Constitution, it is the duty of each and every citizen of India to value and preserve the rich heritage of our composite culture. I call on the people of the country to participate in the learning, understanding and preservation of our diverse and rich culture.

Performing arts, both classical and folk, are basic to our identity. Whether it is the sound of the Sitar, the Sarod, the Veena, or Nadhaswaram and other musical instruments or it is the dance forms of Kathak, Kathakali, Bharatanatyam, Kuchipudi, Mohiniattam, Odissi or other folk dances, all these have the capacity to arouse the feeling of "being an Indian" in each one of us. The world over in the minds of people all these are associated with India.

One of the aims of Sangeet Natak Akademi should be to encourage the best talent from all parts of the country and also to reach the performing arts to a large number of people as far as possible. We have to spread dance, music and drama to the masses. This is one of the participatory ways for the preservation of our culture. This approach in our policy for the cultural development of the country could result in people becoming patrons of the performing arts and stakeholders in the efforts for the preservation of our rich civilizational history of more than 5,000 years. Some of our traditional folk arts are fast disappearing for want of patronage. We must look at how the "patrons of arts" in our society - whether corporate houses, musical societies, local artist groups - can be encouraged to support the classical and the traditional arts.

We are living in times of considerable change and in a globalised world, in which there is a constant interaction and flow of ideas. In such a scenario, it becomes imperative for the Akademi to ensure that its various schemes and programmes, address themselves adequately to the traditional arts in the changing environment. It should look at using the different media of the new world like the Internet and multi-media systems, in addition to innovatively using the electronic media for promoting performing arts. Our special efforts should be to reach out to the new generation and to inculcate in them an appreciation for our culture. Our artists and musicians should attract them to learning music and dance. The Sangeet Natak Akademi should encourage budding young artists through Youth Talent awards and through grant of sponsorships and scholarships, in cases where the young artists do not have adequate financial resources. Attaining excellence in the performing arts is the result of very hard work. Music, dance and drama all require considerable amount of discipline and riyaz. The greatest of our musicians spend long hours practicing. I call on the youth to show commitment and dedication for learning and excelling in the fields of music, dance and theatre.

Indian art and music must also look at the social role that they can play. Dance and drama are a powerful medium and can be used to effectively convey social messages particularly to fight social evils like female foeticide, female infanticide, child mariiages, dowry and addiction to drugs and alcohol. They can also educate the population on various issues such as health, literacy and the values of truth, tolerance and harmony. I would call on social organizations and corporate houses to promote music and art as a means for bringing about awareness, harmony and peace in society. In remote and distant areas as well as in the hilly and difficult terrains of our country, the performing arts can be used as a powerful medium for public education, particularly for creating awareness to eradicate social evils and to impart information about welfare schemes. Being in the local dialects the people easily understand it.

Culture is our living tradition, which we need to preserve, propagate and develop. Our arts have also been dynamic and creative as also innovative and experimental. This heritage of culture has permeated our lifestyle. The performing arts are the most vibrant and participative forms of arts, since on all occasions, - births, weddings and festivals, we join together in music and dance. The performing arts are rooted in our cultural heritage and they bring the old with the new and bind the country together.

I conclude by encouraging the Akademi to perform its basic functions of preserving art, popularizing it and to ensure that art serves as a unifying force in the country. Maulana Abul Kalam Azadji while enunciating the purpose of establishing the Akademi said, "India's precious heritage of music, drama and dance is one which we must cherish and develop. We must do so not only for our own sake but also as our own contribution to the cultural heritage of mankind."

I once again congratulate all the award winners for their excellent contribution in preserving, promoting and expanding our performing arts as a treasure for our younger generation to follow and nurture.

Thank You.