OST Bureau New Delhi/Bhubaneswar, Dec 10:

Flute maestro Padma Bibhushan Pandit Hariprasad Chaurasia would receive the prestigious Bharat Muni Samman this year for his lifetime contribution towards the promotion of Indian classical music.

Pt. Hariprasad Chaurasia Pt. Hariprasad Chaurasia

Chaurasia would be conferred with the award on the concluding day of Bharat Muni Festival at Rabindra Mandap here on December 17. The annual award, named after Bharat Muni, the legendary author of Natyashastra, has been instituted by the Bhubaneswar-based Kalingayana Touryatrikam.Chaurasia would be the sixth awardee to receive this national award.

The other previous recipients of the award are Thnkamani Kutty, Pandit Birju Maharaj, Pandit Jasraj, Ratan Thiyam and well-known Bollywood actor Hema Malini. Eminent artistes of international fame Vyajayanti Kashi (Bhartanatyam), Shallu Jindal (Kuchipudi), Meera Das (Odissi), Rimpa Shiva (Tabla) would perform at the two-day festival beginning from December 17, said trustee of the Kalingayana Touryatrikam and noted Odissi danseuse Puspita Mishra in a release here on Tuesday.