To encourage theatrical arts, Kandukuri Awards will be presented on April 16 to 110 individuals, three at the State level and 107 at the districts level, according to Minister for Tourism, Culture, and Cinematography Kandula Durgesh.
In a statement on Tuesday (April 15), Mr. Durgesh said the award ceremony would be held under the auspices of the Andhra Pradesh State Film, Television, and Theatre Development Corporation at Tummalapalli Venkata Ranga Rao Kalakshetram in Vijayawada to commemorate the 177th birth anniversary of eminent writer and social reformer Kandukuri Veeresalingam Pantulu.
Proposed to be celebrated as the Telugu Theatre Day, three artistes selected at the State level would be presented Kandukuri Rangasthala Puraskaram, and Kandukuri Vishishta Puraskaram (District-Level Excellence Award) would be conferred on 107 talented artistes and technical professionals across 26 districts.
He said the awardees were selected by a committee headed by renowned playwright and screenwriter Burra Sai Madhav, comprising 11 members. Aradhyula Venkateswara Rao from Tenali in Guntur district, Dr. Kandimalla Sambasiva Rao from Chilakaluripet in Palnadu district and Gurrala Ravi Krishna from Nandyal district had been selected for the State-level awards.
The State-level Kandukuri Rangasthala Puraskaram comes with a cash prize of ₹1,00,000, and the district-level Kandukuri Vishishta Puraskaram carries a cash prize of ₹10,000.
He said the coalition government in the State was keen on promoting fine arts and theatre, and urged the artistes, theatre professionals and technical experts to participate in the Wednesday’s programme.
Published - April 16, 2025 08:34 am IST
