National Tansen Samman:
Renowned tabla player of Indian classical music Pt. Swapan Choudhary of Kolkata has been honoured with the “National Tansen Samman” for the year 2023.
- National Tansen Samman was established in the year 1980 by the Madhya Pradesh Government in the name of Music Emperor Tansen.
- It is the highest national music award in the field of Indian classical music.
- Awardees get an honorarium of five lakh rupees, citation plaque and a shawl-shriphal.
- Tansen was a prominent Indian classical music composer, vocalist and instrumentalist.
- He first stayed under the shelter of Daulat Khan, son of Sher Shah Suri and then was appointed as the court singer of King Ramchandra of Bandhavgarh.
- Later, he became one of the Navaratnas (nine jewels) at the court of Akbar.
- Akbar gave him the title Mian, an honorific, meaning learned man.
- He is given credit for introducing some famous ragas viz. Malhar, Todi and Darbari.
