Sangeet Natak Akademi Picks 106 Young Artists for Ustad Bismillah Khan Yuva Puraskar

Shantanu Thakur

20 Oct 2026

2 Min

The Sangeet Natak Akademi, the apex body for promoting Indian performing arts, has selected the winners of the Ustad Bismillah Khan Yuva Puraskar for 2024 and 2025. The 106 young artists were chosen by its General Council at a meeting held in New Delhi from 22 to 26 March 2026. The award recognises contributions in music, dance, theatre, folk and traditional arts, puppetry and allied performing arts.

106 Young Artists Selected

The General Council selected a total of 106 artists for the award for 2024 and 2025, recognising emerging talent in India's performing arts tradition. The list covers categories such as Hindustani and Carnatic music, classical dance, acting, folk music, folk dance, puppetry and various traditional performing arts, and also includes people whose contribution goes beyond performance.

The announcement also included seven distinguished individuals chosen as Akademi Fellows or Akademi Ratna and 108 artists chosen for the Sangeet Natak Akademi Awards for 2024 and 2025.

About the Award

The Ustad Bismillah Khan Yuva Puraskar was started in 2006 by the Sangeet Natak Akademi to honour young artistes for exceptional talent in music, dance and drama. Artistes under the age of 40 are eligible, with the age determined by a date specified in the Akademi's nomination guidelines.

The award covers five broad categories:

Music: Hindustani, Carnatic and other forms of music
Dance: classical, traditional and other dances
Theatre: acting, directing, script writing and other theatre arts
Traditional, folk and tribal arts: music, dance, theatre, puppetry and other arts
Contribution and Scholarship: overall contribution to the performing arts and associated scholarship

Each award carries prize money of ₹25,000, a Tamrapatra and an Angavastram. Under the Akademi's guidelines, no more than 33 awards should be given in one year. The 106 selected artists cover the two award years of 2024 and 2025 together.

Role of the Sangeet Natak Akademi

The Sangeet Natak Akademi is India's National Academy of Music, Dance and Drama. Formed in 1953, it functions as an independent institution under the Ministry of Culture, Government of India, and works to promote and document the heritage of the performing arts. Its awards include:

Akademi Ratna: the Sangeet Natak Akademi Fellowship, one of its most prestigious honours, limited to 40 Fellows at any time
Akademi Puraskar: the Sangeet Natak Akademi Award for distinguished contribution to the performing arts
Ustad Bismillah Khan Yuva Puraskar: the award for outstanding young performers

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