A memorandum presented to President A P J Abdul Kalam by the artistes, including vice-chairperson K N Pannikar and Carnatic vocalist Balamurali Krishna, said: "From day one, Sonal Mansingh went on a steamroller trip of taking unilateral decisions."
Vijaya Mehta's eyes were always twinkling, her smile was always warm, her sari usually a collector's piece. She put on no elder statesman airs. But when she was in director mode, she allowed her actors and technicians no slack. Deepa Gahlot doffs her hat to the undisputed doyenne of Marathi theatre and one of India's most influential directors and actors, who shaped the landscape of Indian experimental theatre.
Vijaya Mehta, a pioneering figure in modern Indian theatre and cinema, has passed away at the age of 91.
Despite international fame, she remained rooted in village traditions. Friends recalled that success never changed her lifestyle.
One of the finest minds in theatre, besides being an exceptional actor and filmmaker. She showed me just how much I still had to learn and understand.'
From Dr A P J Abdul Kalam to Sourav Ganguly, these coming biopics are bringing some of India's most fascinating lives to the big screen.
Winners of the awards for the year 2005 lauded by President Kalam.
'It took 22 working days for us to complete the song.'
Ram Niwas Mirdha was a minister in the Indira Gandhi and Rajiv Gandhi governments, and was also chairman of the Joint Parliamentary Committee appointed in the 1990s to probe the securities scam
Sarod maestro Amjad Ali Khan and Santoor exponent Shivkumar Sharma were among the recipients of Sangeet Natak Akademy fellowship and awards given to 47 eminent persons by President Pranab Mukherjee in New Delhi on Tuesday.
Bharatanatyam and Kuchipudi veteran Yamini Krishnamurti died at the Apollo hospital New Delhi on Saturday. She was 84.
India's freedom fighter's interest in arts led to setting up several institutions of learning in independent India.
Writers from across the country gathered at Shri Ram Centre near Mandi House and marched towards Sahitya Akademi in the capital, wearing black ribbons on their heads as a sign of protest.
An ensemble of musicians, some of whom played sursingar, mohan veena, dilruba and other rare instruments, regaled G20 world leaders during the ceremonial dinner hosted for them by President Droupadi Murmu.
Booker Prize winning author Salman Rushdie joined the growing chorus of protests by leading writers against spread of "communal poison" and "rising intolerance" in the country even as seven more authors decided to return their Sahitya Akademi awards.
The 76th Republic Day parade in New Delhi featured many firsts, including the debut of the Pralay missile, a tri-services tableau, and a performance by 5,000 folk and tribal artists. The parade also showcased the Army's automated battle surveillance system SANJAY and a contingent from Indonesia. Captain Dimple Singh Bhati, the first woman Army officer, presented a salute to President Droupadi Murmu on a motorcycle.
"The artistes, who are now speaking against me are the ones who had been enjoying advantages before my time. I stopped these practices," Mansingh said.
Mohammed Zahur Hashmi, popularly known as Khayyam, was also a recipient of Sangeet Natak Akademi Award and Padma Bhushan.
Alert: Courses in Kathak, tabla, pakhawaj
Some of his well-known disciples include internationally-acclaimed Sonal Mansingh, Madhavi Mudgal, Radha Reddy and Yamini Krishnamurty, besides his daughter Kabita Dwibedi.
'Panchamda created an exclusive theme music for Gabbar Singh, which is used throughout the film every time the dacoit makes an appearance, and in both concept and sound, is so eerie and evil.'
"The President is absolutely fine," a Rashtrapati Bhavan spokesman said.
The award was presented by film and theatre personality Amol Palekar.
A Padma Shri awardee and one of the pioneers of saxophone music in the country, Gopalnath had the distinction of being the first Carnatic musician to be invited to the BBC Promenade concert at the Royal Albert Hall, London, in 1994.
Zakir Hussain was the maestro of tabla, percussionist, composer and even actor -- a legend who was India's very own and yet belonged to the world. Hussain died from 'idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis', a lung disease, in a San Francisco hospital early Monday. He was 73.
Bharat Ratna recipient Ustad Bismillah Khan was born March 21, 1916.
Eminent Shehnai exponent Ustad Ali Ahmad Hussain Khan, one of the best-known players of the instrument after the legendary Bismillah Khan, passed away in Kolkata following prolonged illness. He was 77.
The Indian dancer and choreographer's 112th birth anniversary was celebrated with a doodle.
Girish Karnad lived several lives not only on the stage but also as a scholar, theatre personality, an actor and director in a career spanning over five decades.
The legendary dancer did not just take Kathak to the world but also passed on his craft to generations of students
Alkazi, who was the longest serving director of the National School of Drama and mentored generations of actors, produced plays such as Girish Karnad's Tughlaq and Dharamvir Bharati's Andha Yug.
Two years ago this day, Astad Deboo, dancer extraordinaire, passed into the ages. A new exhibition Breaking Boundaries remembers the pioneer who redrew the margins of Indian dance.
The new Ram Lalla idol was consecrated at the Ayodhya temple on Monday, an event led by Prime Minister Narendra Modi and watched by lakhs of people on television at their homes and in temples across the country.
Amonkar was recognised as one of the foremost singers in the Hindustani tradition and as an innovative exponent of the Jaipur gharana.
The Tamil film industry mourns the passing of Carnatic legend M Balamuralikrishna.
Melody queen Lata Mangeshkar, Sitar maestro Ustad Amjad Ali Khan and music composer AR Rahman also paid tributes to the musician.
The last rites will be held at the Lodhi Road crematorium in New Delhi on Friday.
'Bahut mazaa aaya tha doing Agneepath. When you are working with good actors, it enriches your acting.' 'Amitabhji and I had done Shahenshah before, but that was a fun film.'
The Central Bureau of Investigation has booked ace Bharatnatyam dancer and former Chairperson of Sangeet Natak Akademi Leela Samson for alleged "unfruitful expenditure" in Rs 7.02-crore renovation project of Koothambalam auditorium of Kalakshetra Foundation, Chennai.
