Renowned Gamaka singer HR Keshavamurthy honoured with Padma Shri

Shivamogga (Karnataka) [India], January 27 (ANI): HR Keshavamurthy, a renowned Gamaka singer has been honoured with the Padma Shri award.
"Government should promote this art. I have been performing the Gamaka for 60 years. We need support to pass this to the future generation," he told ANI.
Keshavamurthy has taught more than 1000 students without taking a single penny. Even now he is eager to teach and give live performances on the stage.

Gamaka is a form of storytelling through song.
Meanwhile, the list of 128 Padma awardees includes Congress leader Ghulam Nabi Azad, former West Bengal Chief Minister Buddhadeb Bhattacharjee, Bharat Biotech Chairman Krishna Ella and co-founder Suchitra Ella, Serum Institute of India Managing Director Cyrus Poonawalla and Olympic gold medallist Neeraj Chopra, singer Sonu Nigam, late Punjabi folk singer Gurmeet Bawa, former Union Home Secretary Rajiv Mehrishi, Chairman and CEO of Microsoft Corporation Satya Nadella and Alphabet CEO Sundar Pichai.
Padma Awards are conferred in three categories - Padma Vibhushan, Padma Bhushan and Padma Shri.
The awards are given in various disciplines, fields of activities including art, social work, public affairs, science and engineering, trade and industry, medicine, literature and education, sports and civil service. (ANI)