Master Dinanath Mangeshkar Award for Dharmendra

Dharmendra,noted classical singer Ustad Ghulam Mustafa Khan and five others are the recipients of this years Master Dinanath Mangeshkar Awards.

Dharmendra,noted classical singer Ustad Ghulam Mustafa Khan and five others are the recipients of this years Master Dinanath Mangeshkar Awards to be held at Central Maidan in Thane,near Mumbai on April 24. The occasion is the 69th death anniversary of Lata Mangeshkars father.

For the last 23 years,eminent personalities in the field of art,culture and literature are being felicitated by the Master Dinanath Mangeshkar Smruti Pratishthan,Pune,with a cash prize of Rs 50,000 and a citation. While earlier the event was held in places like Pune,Ichalkaranji,Nagpur and around,this year it is in Thane.

The Master Dinanath Mangeshkar Smruti Pratishthan is a charitable trust established by the Mangeshkars in 1988. The main object of the trust is to grant scholarships to deserving students and work for enhancement of art,music,drama and dance and to contribute towards the welfare of elderly artistes from various fields and take care of their old-age medicines and expenses. The founders and trustees are Pandit Hridaynath Mangeshkar,Bharati Hridaynath Mangeshkar and Shriram Gogate.

This year,Dharmendra gets the Master Dinanath Mangeshkar special award for his contribution to Indian cinema; Ustad Ghulam Mustafa Khan is being honoured with the Master Dinanath Award for music; the Anandmayee Puraskar goes to Nitin Virkhare,of Image Welfare Achievers Forum,for his contribution to social work and the Master Dinanath Vishesh Puraskar goes to Prasad Sawkar for his dedicated services to Marathi theatre and cinema. Mahesh Elkunchwar will get the Vagvilasini Puraskar for his work in literature. From this year,there is recognition for theater which has been instituted in the memory of Mohan Wagh,who was the family friend of the Mangeshkars,and first recepient would be Sudhir Bhat of Suyog Theatres for Best Drama for Vaa Guru. Noted poet Pravin Davne will get the Saraswati award,instituted in the memory of poetess Shanta Shelke.Sudhir Gadgil will compere the show.

We do not believe in commercialisation of awards. This is our way of honouring our fathers memory,by helping needy artistes, she said. Her nephew Adinath Mangeshkar added that the event is not sponsored by anyone. Also present at the press conference were trustee Shriram Gogate,MLA Pratap Sarnaik and committee member Ravi Joshi.