Kala Ratna Explained

Kala Ratna
Subheader:	Civilian Award
Sponsor:	Government of Andhra Pradesh
Firstawarded:	1999
Lastawarded:	2017
Reward:	₹30,000

The Kala Ratna (Telugu: కళారత్న) earlier Hamsa Award,^[1] is a civilian honour of the Andhra Pradesh state are conferred annually by the Government of Andhra Pradesh and is organised by the State Cultural Council and Department of Culture on the occasion of Telugu new year, Ugadi.^[2] The awards celebrate achievements by persons of eminence in their chosen fields. The awardees are from the fields of literature, music, dance, painting, sculpture, folk and tribal arts. Along with Kala Ratna awards, the Andhra Pradesh government presents Ugadi Puraskarams on the same stage.

The Award

The awards are presented by the Chief Minister of Andhra Pradesh. Each award carries an amount of Rs. 30,000, a shawl, a gold plated Hamsa (Swan) memento.

Award winners

2015 Awards

The Government of Andhra Pradesh announced 32 names for the year 2015.^[3]

2016 Awards

The Government of Andhra Pradesh announced 23 names for the year 2016.^[4]

2017 Awards

The Government of Andhra Pradesh announced 38 names for the year 2017.^[5]

Notes and References

1. News: Hamsa awards are now Kalaratna . 16 August 2006 . The Hindu . 28 June 2019 .
2. Web site: Artists of Andhra Pradesh . 26 March 2016 . https://web.archive.org/web/20160409120306/http://apculturedept.com/artservlets/jsp/raga/awards.html . 9 April 2016 . dead .
3. News: Hamsa and Ugadi awards announced. The Hindu. 20 March 2015. www.thehindu.com.
4. Web site: AP Hamsa awards,AP Ugadi Awards 2016,AP Ugadi Awards (Puraskaralu) 2016 Announced TeluguNow.com . www.telugunow.com . dead . https://web.archive.org/web/20161009130731/http://www.telugunow.com/ap-politics/ap-ugadi-awards-puraskaralu-2016-announced-307048.html . 2016-10-09.
5. Web site: Andhra Pradesh announces names of Kala Ratna (Hamsa) awardees. The New Indian Express.