Music director and lyricist Kaithapram Damodaran Namboothiri.
The Kerala Sangeetha Nataka Akademi has announced its awards and fellowships for 2025, recognising distinguished contributions across music, dance and theatre.
Koodiyattom maestro G. Venu (Venuji), music director and lyricist Kaithapram Damodaran Namboothiri, and theatre director-playwright Jayaprakash Kuloor have been selected for the fellowship, the highest honour conferred by the akademi for overall contributions to arts. The fellowship carries a cash award of ₹50,000, citation, plaque and sculpture.
Koodiyattom maestro G. Venu.
A total of 18 artistes have been chosen for the 2025 awards, while 22 senior artistes have been selected for the Gurupuja Puraskaram, instituted to honour veterans who have dedicated their lives to artistic pursuits and thus inspired generations. The award and Gurupuja recipients will receive ₹30,000 each along with citation and memento.
The date of the award presentation will be announced later, said akademi secretary Karivelloor Murali in Thrissur on Thursday.
Theatre director-playwright Jayaprakash Kuloor.
Winners
The award winners are N.J. Nandini (classical music), C.S. Anuroop (violin), Kalamandalam Krishnakumar (Mridangam), Shomi Davis (drums/western instruments), Jency (light music), Gayathri Asokan (Hindustani classical), Kakkad Rajappan Marar (Chenda), Chithra Sukumaran (Mohiniyattom), Shafeequddin B.K. (Bharatanatyam), Manoj Narayanan (theatre – direction), Seetha Sashidharan (dance), Kalamandalam Sandhya Ramachandran (theatre – actor), Manoj Kothamangalam (theatre – actor), Thekkada Shyamlal (dance drama), Vijayan Kadamberi (theatre – stage craft), Rajeev Narikkal (Kathaprasangam), Joy Krishnan (Keralanatanam), and Sainan Kottamangalam (mimicry).
The Gurupuja Puraskaram winners are C.S. Narayanan Namboothiri (Carnatic music – vocal), R. Manoj Kumar, also known as Thodupuzha Manoj Kumar (violin), Karunagappally Krishnankutty (theatre), Sulochana N. (theatre – actor), Mohan Krishnan (theatre), Paravoor Viswanathan (flute), Kaviyoor Sadasiva Marar (Panchavadyam/Thimila), Aryad Vallabadas (Kathaprasangam), K.R. Mohandas (theatre – direction), K.C. Krishnan Payyannur (theatre – actor), Kalabhavan Rahman (mimicry), Shivan Ayodhya (theatre – actor), Peramangalam Vijayan (Kombu), Thekkady Rajan (light music), Ushadharan (theatre – actor), Asiad Sasi Marar (Ilathalam), Shalu Menon (dance drama), C. Ramadevi (theatre – actor), L. Thankamma (Alappi Thankam) (theatre – actor), Kalanilayam Gopi (Kathakali Vesham), Kalamandalam Sreekumar (Kathakali Vesham), and Thrissur Janardhanan (music and dance).
Meanwhile, the 2025 Chirayinkeezhu Dr. G. Gangadharan Nair Award for the best stage craft in amateur theatre has been awarded to Nidheesh Pookkad. The award carries a cash prize of ₹30,000 along with a sculpture and certificate.
Published – February 19, 2026 08:13 pm IST
