Eminent Flute player Hariprasad Chaurasia, noted Sarodh player Amjad Ali Khan, Santoor maestro Shiv Kumar Sharma are among eleven prominent performing artistes who have been selected for the prestigious Sangeet Natak Akademi fellowship.

It carries a cash award of three lakh rupees and a citation. According to a release issued in New Delhi today, 36 Akademi awards in the field of music, dance and theatre and traditional folk music for 2011 have also been announced.

The Akademi has also announced Tagore Akademi Ratna and Tagore Akademi Puraskar.

Fifty personalities in the performing arts will be conferred with the Tagore Ratna and 50 others with Akademi Tagore Puraskar.

These awards are being given this year in connection with the Tagore Centenary celebrations.