Veena Venu Awards & Samman
Honouring Excellence. Preserving Legacy. Inspiring Continuity.
Based in Mumbai, Bharat, Veena Venu Art Foundation is committed to preserving and advancing the rich inheritance of Indian classical music and culture. Through its Awards and Samman, the Foundation honours exceptional artistry, sustained sadhana, cultural stewardship, scholarship, innovation, and service.
The Foundation recognises artistic excellence and cultural contribution across generations, disciplines, and backgrounds, without distinction of nationality, race, caste, religion, or geographical boundary. Each honour carries its own purpose, stature, and method of selection.
These honours affirm that artists and cultural contributors are not merely performers or professionals. They are custodians of knowledge, memory, discipline, and the living cultural wealth of Bharat.
Rajadhiraaj Veena Venu Samman
The Supreme Honour of Veena Venu Art Foundation
The Rajadhiraaj Veena Venu Samman is the supreme honour of Veena Venu Art Foundation, reserved only for those rare and timeless maestros whose music rises beyond performance to become a sacred force, a civilisational legacy, and an enduring source of inspiration for generations.
It is a heartfelt tribute to towering figures of Indian classical music whose lifelong sadhana, artistic authority, and unparalleled contribution have shaped the cultural consciousness of their time. This honour is conferred solely by Veena Venu Art Foundation and is not open for application or nomination.
Honoured Maestros
- 2024: Padma Bhushan Pandit Vishwa Mohan Bhatt
Honoured for his extraordinary musical contribution and his enduring service to Indian classical music. - 2025: Pandit Tejendra Narayan Majumdar
Honoured for his distinguished musical contribution and lifelong dedication to Indian classical music. - 2026: Pandit Hariprasad Chaurasia
Honoured for his monumental contribution to Indian classical music and his timeless legacy as a bansuri maestro and guru.
The Foundation may not confer every Award or Samman each year. Each honour is conferred only when a deserving candidate of the required distinction is identified. The Rajadhiraaj Veena Venu Samman is the Foundation’s Supreme Samman and is conferred solely by the Foundation upon eminent maestros, while applications may be submitted for all other Award and Samman categories.
Awards and Samman Categories
- Veena Venu Baal Ratna Award:Â Ages 7 to 17
- Veena Venu Yuva Ratna Samman:Â Ages 18 to 50
- Veena Venu Baal Durlabh Mani Award:Â Ages 7 to 17
- Veena Venu Yuva Durlabh Mani Award:Â Ages 18 to 50
- Durga Samman Age 35+
- Durga Prerna Samman Age 25+
- Rajadhiraaj Veena Venu Samman (Supreme Samman)
- Veena Venu Lok Samman Age 35+
- Veena Venu Sangeet Sanshodhan Samman Age 35+
Veena Venu Baal Ratna Award
Ages 7 to 17
The Veena Venu Baal Ratna Award recognises young learners who demonstrate exceptional promise, discipline, musical sensitivity, and sincere commitment in Indian classical vocal music or instrumental music. It honours talent that is being shaped through regular training, respect for the Guru, and a growing understanding of the tradition.
The award seeks to encourage young practitioners to pursue music not merely as an activity, but as a path of sustained learning, cultural rootedness, and personal refinement.
Veena Venu Yuva Ratna Samman
Ages 18 to 50
The Veena Venu Yuva Ratna Samman recognises and celebrates exceptional talent in Hindustani classical vocal, Carnatic classical vocal, devotional vocal, and Indian classical instruments.
This category honours artists who have demonstrated outstanding command of their chosen art form and have made a noteworthy contribution to the classical music landscape. It acknowledges their dedication, virtuosity, and responsibility towards carrying the cultural and artistic legacy of Indian classical music forward.
The Veena Venu Yuva Ratna Samman stands as a testament to the enduring beauty and significance of classical music in Bharat. It honours talented and committed individuals who devote their lives to its pursuit and ensure that this ancient tradition continues with depth, dignity, and vitality.
Veena Venu Baal Durlabh Mani Award
Ages 7 to 17
The Veena Venu Baal Durlabh Mani Award honours young learners who are receiving disciplined training in rare, lesser-heard, or endangered Indian musical instruments. It recognises their courage in choosing an uncommon path and their role in sustaining instruments whose voices form an invaluable part of India’s musical heritage.
This award encourages the next generation to approach rare instruments with patience, responsibility, and reverence for the knowledge systems they carry.
Veena Venu Yuva Durlabh Mani Award
Ages 18 to 50
The Veena Venu Yuva Durlabh Mani Award is a prestigious recognition celebrating the extraordinary artistry of individuals who specialise in rare and unique musical instruments.
These instruments include the Vichitra Veena, Kacchapi Veena or Surbahar, Sursingar, Jaltarang, Mayuri Veena, Sundari, Jori Pakhawaj, Israj, Dilruba, and other rare Indian instruments. The category also recognises innovative Indian classical instruments and original musical creations developed by artists or inspired individuals.
This honour recognises both virtuosity and cultural responsibility. It celebrates musicians who have devoted themselves to instruments outside the mainstream, explored distinctive possibilities of sound, and expanded musical expression without losing connection with tradition.
The award affirms the diversity and depth of India’s musical heritage. It honours those who preserve rare instruments, enter less-travelled territories of musical artistry, and contribute unique voices to the ever-evolving tapestry of Indian music.
Durga Samman age 35+
Honouring Women of Strength, Knowledge, and Contribution
Presented annually on 8 March as part of the Foundation’s Durgautsav and International Women’s Day observance, the Durga Samman honours remarkable women whose sustained work and excellence have created meaningful impact in their respective fields.
The Samman recognises women from music, art, literature, education, business, science, social service, and other spheres of cultural and public contribution. It celebrates Shakti expressed through knowledge, discipline, creation, courage, and service.
The Durga Samman has consistently honoured women who have not only excelled in their chosen paths, but have also widened the path for others. Their achievements enrich their fields, strengthen society, and become a source of inspiration for future generations.
Diversity, Dignity, and Empowerment
One of the defining principles of the Durga Samman is its breadth. By honouring women across varied disciplines, the Foundation acknowledges the many forms in which excellence and leadership manifest.
The Samman is an affirmation of women’s intellectual, artistic, professional, and social agency. It seeks to inspire women of all ages and backgrounds to pursue their calling with confidence and to recognise that their work carries the power to shape culture and society.
Durga Samman Awardees
2026
- Durga Samman: Vidushi Gouri Banerjee Sati, for her contribution to Sarangi
- Durga Prerna Samman: Sushri Hetal Mehta, for her contribution to Tabla and Music
2025
- Vidushi Shashwati Mandal, for her contribution to Hindustani Classical Music
2024
- Sushri Sudha Raghuraman, for her excellence in Carnatic Vocal Music
2023
- Sushri Smitha Srikiran, for her mastery of the Indian classical flute
2022
- Sushri Pallavi Trivedi, for her excellence in Literature and Poetry
2021
- Vidushi Saraswati Rajagopalan, for her excellence in Saraswati Veena
2020
- Vidushi Sangeeta Shankar, for her excellence in Indian classical violin
2019
- Vidushi Kamala Shankar, for her pioneering excellence in Shankar Guitar
- Vidya Durga Samman: Sushri Priyanka Mallick, for her Dhrupad Gayaki
2018
- Sushri Madhubhatt Tailang, for her contribution and excellence in Dhrupad
- Smt. Shruti Adhikari, for her contribution to Indian classical music
2017
- Sushri Kanchan Singh Chauhan, for her contribution to Literature
2016
- Smt. Vandana Dharmadhikari, for her contribution to Banking and Literature
2015
- Sushri Anita Kushwaha and Sushri Vijaya Singh, for their contribution to the world of business
Veena Venu Lok Samman age 35+
The Veena Venu Lok Samman honours meaningful contribution to the living relationship between art, culture, and society. It acknowledges individuals whose sustained work strengthens cultural participation, carries artistic traditions into the community, and helps preserve the shared cultural memory of Bharat.
Veena Venu Sangeet Sanshodhan Samman Age 35+
The Veena Venu Sangeet Sanshodhan Samman recognises serious contribution to research, scholarship, documentation, interpretation, and knowledge-building in Indian music. It honours work that deepens understanding of musical traditions and creates a responsible intellectual foundation for future study.
Disciplines and Categories
Vocal Categories
- Hindustani Classical Vocal: Dhrupad and Khyal
- Carnatic Classical Vocal
- Devotional Vocal: Bhakti Sangeet
Instrumental Categories
- Hindustani Vadya
- Carnatic Vadya
Rare Indian Instruments
- Vichitra Veena
- Sundari
- Surbahar or Kacchapi Veena
- Sursingar
- Jaltarang
- Mayuri Veena
- Jori Pakhawaj
- Israj
- Dilruba
- Innovative Indian classical instruments
- Other rare and lesser-heard Indian instruments
Innovative Creations
This category includes original and innovative creations in Indian classical musical instruments, whether developed by practising artists, instrument makers, researchers, or inspired individuals. It recognises work that expands the musical possibilities of Indian instruments while remaining meaningfully connected with Indian musical thought and practice.
Application Guidelines
Applications for award categories formally announced as open by Veena Venu Art Foundation may be sent to veenavenuartfoundation@gmail.com
Each application should include only:
- The applicant’s current resume
- A performance video recorded within the preceding three months
- For Indian classical vocal and instrumental categories, a recording of at least 30 minutes with one Raag Gayan/VadanÂ
These application guidelines do not apply to the Rajadhiraaj Veena Venu Samman.
Contact
Veena Venu Art Foundation
Mumbai, Bharat
veenavenuartfoundation@gmail.com