(Caroline Smart receives her award from Michelle Naidoo of ABSA
Bank)
On November 17, the Indian Academy of South
Africa held its annual Nataraja Awards ceremony in which the Academy honours
those who have made
a distinguished contribution to South Africa and especially the nation’s Indian
community. This year’s Nataraja Awards went to Sinthal Ramiah,
Steven Govender, Louise Nair and A V Mahomed.
Forming part
of the same awards evening, The Golden Peacock Achiever Awards are presented to
younger people – those rising to great heights in the fields of Commerce,
Industry, Banking and The Arts.
Among
the awardees was artSMart owner/editor Caroline Smart for her long-term support
of the Academy’s activities as well as for her dedication to the arts in KZN.
Other recipients of The Golden Peacock Award were Neville Nair, Mala Lutchmanan
and Deena Naidoo.
While
the glittering evening was presented in true Indian Academy style, it was a
bittersweet event as it paid tribute to the Academy’s founder and prime mover,
Dr T P Naidoo, who passed away earlier this year on May 10.
“I feel deeply honoured that the Academy
should have recognised me in this way,” says Smart. “Dr Naidoo and I had a long
working relationship dating back to the mid 1980’s when I started assisting him
in applying for funding from the various national funding bodies. I was always
impressed by his tireless and selfless drive to promote classical Indian music
and dance through The Indian Academy. His vision knew no bounds and it is a
great comfort to me that he was recognised in his own lifetime, unlike many
people of vision.”
Dr TP Naidoo founded the Academy in 1960 in
the firm belief that the future of the Indian community lay in immediately
uniting the 800,000 Indians then living in South Africa. The Academy has gone
on to play a pivotal role in the Indian community through its annual Heritage
Series and numerous music concerts, many of which feature experts in classical
Indian music and dance from India.
Posts
