Gangtok, Oct 19 Sikkim’s folk dancer and choreographer Dilu Tamang was conferred the prestigious Ustad Bismillah Khan Yuva Puraskar by Sangeet Natak Akademi on Monday for her contributions to the preservation of traditional performing arts.
The award was presented by Union Culture Minister Gajendra Singh Shekhawat in a function at Lalit Kala Akademi in New Delhi, according to an official statement.
The national honour recognises outstanding young practitioners in performing arts and acknowledges their role in preserving and promoting India’s diverse cultural traditions, it said.
The recognition brings national attention to Sikkim’s rich folk heritage, particularly traditional dance forms passed down through generations, it added.
Also known as Dilkumari Tamang, she hails from Tadong in Sikkim and has more than two decades of experience in dance, choreography and cultural preservation.
As the director of Dynamic Flickers Dance Academy, Tamang has been working to train young dancers and promote traditional folk and tribal dance forms, including Maruni, Ghatu and Tamang Selo, the statement said.
Through her academy, she has sought to nurture emerging talent while keeping traditional art forms relevant to younger generations, it added.
The Ustad Bismillah Khan Yuva Puraskar adds to her list of achievements. She received the Nritya Seva Shri Samman in 2023 for her contribution to dance and culture and won at the National Tribal Dance Festival in 2022.
In 2025, Tamang represented India at World Expo Osaka in Japan, showcasing the country’s cultural heritage on an international platform, the statement said.
Instituted by the Sangeet Natak Akademi in 2006, the Ustad Bismillah Khan Yuva Puraskar honours promising young artistes for their contributions to music, dance, theatre and other traditional and folk performing arts. The award carries a cash prize of Rs 25,000, along with a Tamrapatra and an Angavastram, it added.
(PTI News)
