At the Sangeet Natak Akademi’s prestigious international festival for Indian dance, renowned choreographer Sandip Soparrkar was awarded the “Jivan Ratan Sanmaan”. The honor was presented by the eminent Padma Vibhushan awardee and Rajya Sabha Member of Parliament, Dr. Sonal Mansingh, in recognition of Soparrkar’s impactful humanitarian contributions to the field of dance. The award was presented by the Centre for Indian Classical Dances, underscoring a longstanding commitment to honoring contributions in Indian arts.
The evening saw esteemed personalities from the arts and cultural sector in attendance, including Amrita Prasad Sarbhai, Joint Secretary of the Ministry of Culture, Dr. Sandhya Purecha, Chairperson of the Sangeet Natak Akademi, and Uma Nenduri, also Joint Secretary of the Ministry of Culture. Together with Dr. Mansingh presented the award to Soparrkar, lauding his dedication to using dance as a medium for social change. His work has seamlessly blended art with altruism, making a significant impact on communities across India.
While presenting the award, Dr. Mansingh said, “Sandip is a ballroom dancer, a contemporary artist, with all his love for Indian art forms he greatly works towards promoting Indian culture and heritage, this award is a testament of the same.”
The award was a highlight of the festival, celebrating the transformative power of dance and honouring Soparrkar who has gone above and beyond his commitment for promoting Indian art forms through his shows and writing work. The presence of influential figures from the arts and government sectors underscored the importance of such recognitions in encouraging artists to continue their invaluable contributions to society
