Narendra Singh Negi, Diwan Bajeli and outstanding personalities 44 felicitated with Sangeet Natak Academic Awards at Vigyan Bhawan

The legendary singer, lyricist, poet and musician of Uttarakhand Narendra Singh Negi and renowned art and film critic Diwan Singh Bajeli were honoured with prestigious Sangeet Natak Academy awards of 2018 at Vigyan Bhawan on Saturday.

In all forty four outstanding personalities in the field of art, theatre, folk music, clasical dances etc were felicitated by the vice president of India, P. Venkaiah Naidu.

Among other exceptional personalities honoured with coveted Sangeet Natak Academic Fellowship Awards were renowned melodious singer Malini Awasthi, Tabla player Zakir Hussain, Jatin Goswami, Dr. Sonal Man Singh renowned classical dancer, T. K. Kalyansundaram etc.

Those presented with Lalit Kala Academy awards for their outstanding contribution in Arts were Himmat Shah, Jyoti Bhatt, Kusum Pandey and Shayam Sharma.

The people of Uttarakhand, especially the fraternity of Uttarakhand artists, poets, music, theatre, folk songs, dances and those working hard to preserve and promote Uttarakhand culture and dialects are too jubilant for legendary singer Negi getting this prestigious award, though demanding coveted Padmashree award for him po oosince long.

Legendary singer, musician, literateur, lyricist and poet Narendra Singh Negi has been honoured with this prestigious award of 2018 for his innumerable and outstanding contribution in the field of folk music, imbibing in him, the rich musical tradition of the region at an early age.

Working close to his roots even while in service in the state government and in social sector, Negi carried forward the cultural traditions by his creative endeavour as an artist, author and composer.

Today Negi is considered as the most accomplished author of Uttarakhand drawing a large fan following in the state of Uttarakhand as well as nationally and abroad where Uttarakhandies live earning their livelihoods.

Having lend his melodious voice and music to several Gadhwali films and performed in hundreds of cultural events in Uttarakhand, metropolises, various parts of India and abroad, Narendra Singh Negi is considered as the living legend of Uttarakhand, loved and adored by his millions of fans.

His contribution to Uttarakhand is indeed innumerable say his fans and intellectuals of Uttarakhand.

Kindly recall that Narendra Singh Negi had till now sung thousands of songs in Garhwali and Kumaoni dialects with hundreds of CDs of his mesmerising songs being sold among Uttarakhandies nationally n even abroad among the Uttarakhand inhabitants living abroad.

His song “Nauchami Narena”, resulted in the then Uttarakhand government led by CM ND Tiwari lose at the hustings to BJP in 2007 earning accolades nationally and the prestigious magazine India Today giving Negi excellent coverage.

Apart from preserving and promoting the culture and dialects of Garhwal, Kumaun and Jaunsari and writing regional songs and literature Narendra Singh Negi has also made and sung songs on environment conservation, awareness against social evils, migration, man eater human kills and on various problems of hills, earning tremendous applaud and appreciation.

He performed in thousands of programmes in various parts of the country and abroad and is a renowned poet as well. He carries behind a large endless following in Uttarakhand commanding tremendous respect among successive governments, leaders and people from music and cultural industry.

In nutshell he is a heart throb of millions in Uttarakhand, various, states of the country and abroad where Uttarakhandies live n work.

The chief minister of Uttarakhand congratulated Negi and Bajeli for receiving this coveted award, raising the name if Uttarakhand high nationally.