Siddhendra Yogi Purskar award to Pandit Birju Maharaj

Machilipatnam, Andhra Pradesh, Feb 22 (UNI) Akhila Bharata Kuchipudi Natya Kala Mandali (ABKNKM) and VCS Kuchipudi Art Foundation, Chennai will honour Padma Vibhushan Pandit Birju Maharaj with 'Siddhendra Yogi Purskar' award for his contribution in promoting the Kathak dance form, ABKNKM General Secretary P Kesavaprasad said today.

Talking to UNI here, Mr Kesavaprasad said the award, carrying Rs one lakh cash and citation, would be presented to him on February 27 during the Siddhendra Yogi Mahotsav 2007, to be held from February 26 to March 4.

Pandit Birju Maharaj, an exponent in Kathak, had extensively travelled taking the art form all over the world.

He had given a new dimension to this dance form by coming out with dance-dramas to reach out to the people.

UNI