3 - 9 April 2002 at Srimanta Sankardeva Kalakshetra, Guwahati

The 2001Akademi Awards Ceremony was held at Srimanta Sankardeva Kalakshetra, Guwahati, on 3 April in association with the Department of Cultural Affairs, Government of Assam. The Awards Ceremony was presided over by His Excellency the Governor of Assam, Lt. Gen. S.K. Sinha (Retd) PVSM, who gave away the three Fellowships and 25 Awards to eminent artistes, musicians, playwrights, and scholars for their outstanding contribution to the performing arts of India. Dr. Bhupen Hazarika, Chairman Sangeet Natak Akademi, welcomed the distinguished gathering at the function and delivered the inaugural address. Shri Tarun Gogoi, Chief Minister of Assam, Bhai Prabhu Parmanand, Government of Haryana, and Ustad Bismillah Khan, Bharat Ratna and Fellow of Sangeet Natak Akademi, were present in the gathering. Shri Jayant Kastuar, Secretary, Sangeet Natak Akademi presented the Citation of the Fellows and Awardees, and Shri Shyamanand Jalan, Vice-Chairman, presented the vote of thanks. The Ceremony was followed by a Shehnai recital by Ustad Bismillah Khan.
The Award Ceremony was followed by a a week-long festival featuring performances by some of the Fellows and Awardees followed from 4-9 April 2002 at Rabindra Bhavan, Guwahati. Details of the festival programme follow:

4 April 2002

Haridwaramangalam A.K. Palanivel : Thavil

M.Balamurali Krishna : Carnatic Vocal Music

Vempati Chinna Satyam/Sri Krishna Parijatham - Kuchipudi Dance-Drama

5 April 2002

Charu Sija Mathur : Manipuri Dance

Prathibha Prahlad : Bharatanatyam

Ghana Kanta Bora : Sattriya

7 April 2002

Komik Khongjirem : Folk Music of Meghalaya

Khude Patuar Rupkatha, Puppet play - Direction: Hiren Bhattacharya

Presentation : People's Puppet Theatre, Kolkata

8 April 2002

Seerhiyan, Play in Hindi

Direction: Daya Prakash Sinha

Presentation : Sneh Bharati, Delhi

9 April 2002

Gokula Nirgamana, Play in Kannada

Direction: B.V. Karanth

Playwright : Pu. Thi. Narasimhachar