About Sangita Kalanidhi award:
- It is considered the highest award in the field of Carnatic music.
- The award is conferred by the Madras Music Academy.
- The award comprises a gold medal and a birudu patra (citation).
- It is a landmark institution in the history of the fine arts. It emerged as an offshoot of the All India Congress Session held in Madras in December 1927.
What is Carnatic music?
- Carnatic music is commonly associated with southern India including the states of Andhra Pradesh, Telangana, Karnataka, Kerala, and Tamil Nadu, but also practised in Sri Lanka.
- It is one of two major genres of Indian classical music that evolved from ancient Hindu traditions, the other being Hindustani music, which emerged as a distinct form in northern India as a result of Persian and Islamic influences.
