Mysore/Mysuru: Karnataka Kalashree Dr. K. Kumar was honoured with ‘Maha Baali’ and ‘Sri Kesari Varmadewa’ International Awards on Apr. 28 and 29 in Bali, Indonesia.

These Awards were presented during the 9th International Nrityaanjali and the 6th International Arts and Literature Conference, organised by Sangamam Global Academy, Indian Council for Cultural Relations and Universitas Hindu Indonesia.

These International Conferences and Festivals were held at Universitas Hindu Bali and Ubud’s Saraswati Temple and featured over 33 Dance Gurus from around the World who performed with their teams and participated in discussions and presentations.

The main guests at the conferences included Naveen Meghwal, Director of SVCC Indonesia, Professor N. Panchanatham, retired Vice-Chancellor of Teachers Education University, as well as the Princes of Bali and the Saraswati Temple.

Dr. K. Kumar, who served as the Chairman of the conferences, was also invited as the special chief guest. He and his daughters, K.M. Lekha and K.M. Nidhi, who are known as the ‘Kalemane Sisters’ of Mysuru, presented a Bharatanatyam performance that received much appreciation.

In recognition of Dr. K. Kumar’s significant contributions to the fields of Bharatanatyam and music over his four decades of artistic journey, the Indonesian Government, along with the aforementioned three organisations, honoured him with the ‘Maha Baali’ and ‘Sri Kesari  Varmadewa’ international awards.

His daughters, Lekha and Nidhi, who have been recognised as young talents for participating with their father in State, National and International Festivals over the past one-and-a-half decades, also received the international awards ‘Pura Taman Natya Saraswati’ and ‘Udayana Varmadewa’ alongside their father.

Over 300 Gurus and Artistes participated in the Conferences. The International Festival was conducted under the leadership of K. Dinesh Kumar, the founder of Sangamam Global Academy.