Nirupama and Rajendra receiving the Sangeet Natak Akademi Award from the President of India

Recognition

Honours

Excellence in performing arts · National & international

Abhinava Dance Company and its founders have received recognition from the highest institutions in India and abroad — spanning performance, education, broadcast, and philanthropy.

Credentials & Recognition

Awards & Honours

National · 2023

Sangeet Natak Akademi Award

We are supremely proud of our directors Smt. Nirupama Rajendra and T.D. Rajendra who were conferred with the Sangeet Natak Akademi Award 2023 from the Central Sangeet Natak Akademi, New Delhi.

Our honourable President of India, Smt. Droupadi Murmu, conferred the award in a special ceremony on 6th March at Vigyan Bhawan, New Delhi. India's highest honour in the performing arts — recognizing sustained work of the highest professional order through performances, teaching and scholarship.

State

Karnataka Kalashree

State recognition for excellence in performing arts — honouring Nirupama & Rajendra's contribution to Karnataka's classical dance heritage.

International Tour

Oklahoma Governor Commendation

Recognition during US touring performances — acknowledging Abhinava Dance Company's role in sharing Indian classical art with American audiences.

Karnataka Kalashree

Nrithya Choodamani

U.S. Krishna Rao – Chandrabhagadevi Couple Award

Drushti Puraskaar

Kala Sarathi

Purandara Acharya Award

Other Awards

Governor’s Commendation for outstanding contribution to Indian Dance — Oklahoma, 2008
Recognition by the Mayor of Tulsa for outstanding contribution to Indian Dance, 2008
Recognition citation from Wayne State University, Michigan, USA, 2000
U.S. Krishna Rao – Chandrabhagadevi Couple Award by Attendance
The BIG Kannadiga from 92.7 Big FM
Sri Krishna Vittalaanugraha Prashasthi from Udupi Sri Krishna Mutt
Nrithya Nipuna by Karnataka Nrithya Kala Parishath
Kalaavatamsa by Gokulam School of Music, Bangalore
Kala Sarathi by Art of Living through The World Forum for Art and Culture
Ananya Puraskar by Ananya Institutions
Purandara Acharya Award by Indiranagar Sangeetha Sabha
Natya Kala Ratna — Smt. Indira Gariyali award
Natya Kala Shikhamani Award from the Indian Fine Arts Society, Chennai (2025)

Institutional Partners

Endorsed By

National academies, international councils, and broadcast institutions that have recognized Abhinava's artistic and educational excellence.

National

Central Sangeet Natak Akademi — Sangeet Natak Akademi Award

International

Indian Council for Cultural Relations (ICCR) — Outstanding Category

Broadcast

Doordarshan Kendra — national coverage of ADC productions · A Top Artist

State

Karnataka Kalashree — state recognition for performing arts excellence

Sri Krishna Gana Sabha

Nrithya Choodamani

Gallery

Moments on Stage

Productions, rehearsals and life at the studios, in pictures.