THIRUVANANTHAPURAM:
Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan will present the inaugural “Nishagandhi Sangeetha Puraskaram to eminent musicians Padma Shri Parassala B Ponnammal and Padma Bhushan Dr. T V. Gopalakrishnan for their outstanding contributions to music.
Instituted by Kerala Tourism, the coveted honour, which carries Rs 1.5 lakh, citation and memento, will be distributed at the valedictory function of the five-day music festival Nishagandhi Monsoon Ragas at Nishagandhi Auditorium, Kanakakunnu Palace, here at 6pm on July 24.
Kadakampally Surendran, Minister for Tourism, Cooperation and Devaswom, will preside over the function. Poet and lyricist Sreekumaran Thampi; and Retd. Chief Secretary and lyricist K Jayakumar, who were members of the selection committee, will be the Chief Guests on the occasion.
V.K Prasanth, Mayor Thiruvananthapuram; M. Vijayakumar, Chairman, KTDC; Rani George, Tourism Secretary; P. Bala Kiran, Tourism Director; and Palayam Rajan, Councillor, Thiruvananthapuram Corporation, will also attend.
The five-day music festival has brought rare treat of classical and ethnic musical traditions of the sub- continent, featuring both vocalists and instrumentalists of various streams. Contemporary Flute Fusion by Rajesh Cherthala and a Classical Fusion Band performance by “Shiva-The Musical Thunder”, led by Usthad Rafiq Khan (Sitar) will mark the end of this year’s Nishagandhi Monsoon Ragas Music Festival. Entry is free.
