Prathiba Puraskar Award presented to Melattur Bhagavata Mela artiste

The Managing Trustee, Bhagavatamela Natya Nataka Trust, Melattur, R. Mahalingam received ‘Prathiba Puraskar Award’, instituted by the Young Men’s Hindu Association (YMHA) Trust, Eluru, Andhra Pradesh.

The award instituted in memory of Telugu language patron, Mandali Venkata Krishna Rao, was presented to senior artistes in classical dance, drama and music. It was presented to Kalaimamani Mahalingam in recognition of his contribution in preserving and promoting the Telugu Bhagavata dramas for the past six decades.

The Bhagavata dramas were conceived and written by late Venkatrama Sastri, a contemporary of Saint Thyagarajaswami, Thiruvaiyaru, according to an official release.