Sangeet Natak Akademi honours each year eminent practitioners of music, dance and theatre as also those who serve these arts with distinction in other capacities. Akademi honours – Akademi Ratna and Akademi Puraskar – have been conferred from 1952, which not only symbolize the highest standard of excellence and achievements on a national basis but also recognize the sustained individual work of the highest professional order and contribution to the practice and appreciation of these arts through teaching and scholarship.

1. Description of Akademi Ratna (Akademi Fellows) and Akademi Puraskar (Akademi Awards)

AKADEMI RATNA (AKADEMI FELLOWS)

The Akademi Ratna (Fellow) may be conferred, as per the existing constitutional provision under Rule 12(vi) of the Rules and Regulations of the Akademi, which reads as under:

“To elect, by a majority of at least three – fourth of the members present and voting, artistes of outstanding merit in the field of Music, Dance and Drama or such persons as have rendered outstanding service to the cause of music, dance & drama through their scholarship, research or original contributions as Fellows of the Akademi, provided they have been recommended for the election by the Executive Board and provided further the number of Fellows shall at no time exceed thirty.”

Note: The General Council on 25 March 2003 however recommended that the number of Akademi Ratna (Fellow) may be restricted to 40 living persons if not 60 at any given time. This is subject to the approval of the Department of Culture, Government of India.

(The Executive Board of the Sangeet Natak Akademi at its meeting held on 8 October 2009 resolved that the ceiling on number of Akademi Fellows may be increased from 30 to 40. The Board has also decided that additional 10 seats of Fellows created will be filled up in a phased manner over 5 years (2 seats each year).

The purse money is Rs 3,00,000/- for Fellows.

2.  AKADEMI PURASKAR ( AKADEMI AWARDS)

Akademi Awards may be conferred on eminent practitioners, gurus and scholars of music, dance and theatre for sustained individual achievement of high professional order.

3. Number and Categories of Akademi Puraskar (Akademi Awards)

The Akademi Awards may be conferred annually and the total number of Awards in a year shall not exceed 33.

(The number of Awards were increased from 33 to 36 by the Executive Board of the Sangeet Natak Akademi at its meeting held on 18 January 2011 and further from 36 to 41 by the Executive Board of the Sangeet Natak Akademi at its meeting held on 19 April 2016. Again the number of Awards increased from 41 to 46 by the Executive Board in its meeting held from 5-8 November 2022)

The Awards may be given in five Field of activity:

1. Music
2. Dance
3. Theatre
4. Other Traditional/Folk/Tribal/Dance/Music/Theatre and Puppetry
5. Over all contribution/ Scholarship to Performing Arts.

Awards in each Field may be conferred in accordance with numbers and Categories mentioned in Paras 3(A), 3(B), 3(C), 3(D) and 3(E)

3 (A)  Field of activity: Music   [Number of Puraskar (Awards) – 12]

(The number of Awards were increased from 8 to 9 by the Executive Board of the Sangeet Natak Akademi in its meeting held on 18 January 2011 and further from 9 to 11 in its meeting held on 19 April 2016 and a sub-category of Sugam Sangeet was also introduced under category 6. Again the number of Awards were increased by the Board in this category from 11 to 12 in its meeting held from 5-8 November 2022 )

Categories of Puraskar (Awards):

1. Hindustani Vocal
2. Hindustani Instrumental
3. Carnatic Vocal
4. Carnatic Instrumental
5. Contemporary Music
6. Other Major Traditions of Music

3 (B) Field of activity: Dance [Number of Puraskar (Awards) – 12]

The numbers of Awards were increased from 8 to 9 by the Executive Board of the Sangeet Natak Akademi at its meeting held on 18 January 2011. Further, the number of awards in this category were increased in by the Board in its meeting held from 5-8 November 2022.

Categories of Puraskar (Awards):

1. Bharatanatyam
2. Kathak
3. Kathakali
4. Manipuri
5. Kuchipudi
6. Odissi
7. Sattriya
8. Mohiniattam
9. Chhau
10. Contemporary
11. Other Major Traditions of Dance and Dance Theatre
12. Music for Dance

3 (C) Field of activity: Theatre [Number of Puraskar (Awards) – 9 ]

The number of Awards is increased from 8 to 9 by the Executive Board of the Sangeet Natak Akademi at its meeting held on 19 April 2016.

Categories of Puraskar (Awards):

1. Playwriting
2. Direction
3. Acting
4. Allied Theatre Arts- a) Lighting, b) Scenic Design, c) Costumes / Make-up and d) Music for theatre.
5. Major Traditions of Theatre

3 (D) Field of activity: Traditional/Folk/Tribal/Dance/Music/Theatre and Puppetry

(Number of Awards – 11)

The number of Awards were increased from 8 to 10 by the Executive Board of the Sangeet Natak Akademi in its meeting held on 19 April 2016. Further the number of Awards increased in this category from 10-11 by the Board in its meeting held from 5-8 November 2022.

Categories of Puraskar (Awards):

1. Other Traditional/Folk/Tribal/Music/Dance and Theatre (not covered under 3A, 3B & 3C) (Number of Awards – 8)
2. Puppetry / Mime / Allied arts of traditional forms e.g. Instrument making and Mask Making etc. (Number of Awards – 3)

3 (E).  Field of activity :  Over all contribution/scholarship in Performing Arts

[Number of Puraskar (Award) –2]

The number of Awards is increased from 1 to 2 by the Executive Board of the Sangeet Natak Akademi at its meeting held on 18 January 2011.

Awards shall not exceed the specified number in each of the Field of activities and Categories there under. Where the Categories are less than the number of Awards in a given Field, then efforts shall be made to get at least one Award to each category, but in no case should there be more than two Awards in any Category or sub-category (except as earmarked in 3D). Diversion of Awards from one field or category to another would not be permissible.

4. Purse Money and other facilities for Akademi Ratna (Akademi Fellow) and Akademi Puraskar (Akademi Awards)

AKADEMI RATNA (AKADEMI FELLOW)

Each Akademi Ratna awardee will receive Rs.3 lakh, a citation, an Angavastram, and a Tamrapatra, presented under the seal of the Akademi and the signature of its Chairman. Additionally, recipients will be provided with annual medical insurance coverage of up to Rs.1.5 lakh.

AKADEMI PURASKAR (AKADEMI AWARDS)

Each Akademi Puraskar (Awards) will carry an amount of Rs 50,000/- (Rupees Fifty Thousand only) in cash, a Citation, an Angavastram and a Tamrapatra to be issued under the seal of the Akademi and the signature of its Chairman. Besides, they will also be eligible for medical insurance cover upto Rupees One Lakh per annum.

The Executive Board at its meeting held on 8 October 2009 increased the purse money from Rs 50,000/- to Rs 1,00,000/-

5. ELIGIBILITY

1. 1. The Akademi Ratna and Awards are open to all regardless of nationality race, caste, religion, creed or sex.

1. 2. An association institution or organization is not eligible for Akademi Ratna or Akademi Puraskar (Akademi Award.).

1. 3. No person below the age of 50 will ordinarily be considered for Akademi Ratna, a person considered for an Award will ordinarily be at least 35 years of age.                                                                                

1. 4. A deceased person cannot be considered for Akademi Ratna or Akademi Puraskar (Akademi Award). However, if the death of the person occurs subsequent to the decision of the General Council of the Akademi, the Akademi Ratna/Award will be conferred posthumously.

1. 5. A person who has received an Award will not be eligible for the award in any category in subsequent years.

1. 6. A recipient of Akademi Ratna will not be eligible for an Akademi Puraskar (Akademi Award) at any stage.

1. 7. The members of the General Council will not be eligible for being considered for Akademi Ratna (Fellow) or Akademi Puraskar (Akademi Award) and they may be informed about this provision in writing at the time of their nomination / election to the Executive Board / General Council.

1. 8. If two or more persons are jointly engaged in artistic pursuit in any of the categorized area under consideration, the Award may be given to them jointly.

1. 9. Akademi Ratna and Akademi Puraskar (Akademi Awards) do not pertain to any single work or achievement but to significant and lasting contribution on a sustained basis over a period of time.

1. 10. Canvassing in any form will be treated as disqualification.

6. PROCEDURE FOR NOMINATION AND ELECTION

1. AKADEMI RATNA (AKADEMI FELLOW)

1. 1. Competence to submit proposals for Akademi Ratna shall be enjoyed by:
      1. Ratna Sadasya (Akademi Fellows)
      2. Members of the General Council of the Akademi

Note : No new nominations would be considered either by the Executive Board or by the General Council after expiry of the last date. However, Chairman, SNA will have the powers to propose new names for consideration of the Executive Board / General Council even at the time of the meeting.

2. AKADEMI PURASKAR (AKADEMI AWARDS)
   1. Competence to submit proposals for Akademi Awards shall be enjoyed by:
      1. Akademi Ratna Sadasya.
      2. Members of the General Council of the Akademi.
      3. Chairman/Presidents of State Akademies.
      4. Secretaries in the States/Union Territories of the Department of Culture.
      5. Heads of Universities/Deans of the Performing Arts.
      6. Eminent scholars, experts in the field of performing arts.
      7. The names recommended by the Executive Board and not accepted by the General Council in previous five year will automatically be listed for the short listing along with the fresh nominations received.
   2. Every year the Akademi shall invite nominations for Akademi Puraskar (Akademi Awards) by a specified date and the nominations received in accordance with clause 6(i) will be placed before the Executive Board for short listing of the names for consideration by the General Council. No new nominations would be considered either by the Executive Board or by the General Council after expiry of the last date. However, Chairman, SNA will have the powers to propose new names for consideration of the Executive Board / General Council even at the time of the meeting.
   3. Efforts should be made to have unanimity in the Executive Board and the General Council but in case unanimity cannot be reached than the opinion of the 3/4^th members present shall be called as provided in Clause 12 (vi) of the Rules and Regulations of the Akademi. The decision of the General Council will be final and no appeal or protest can be made against it.
   4. Persons recommended by the Executive Board in the preceding five years but not selected by the General Council may be considered in the following years.