AR Rahman conferred with Japan's Fukuoka prize 2016

Legendary Oscar winning Indian music composer A R Rahman was awarded Japan’s Fukuoka prize for the year 2016.
He has been conferred with this award in the Grand Prize category for his outstanding contribution towards creating, preserving and showcasing South Asian traditional fusion music.
Besides, Philippines’ historian Ameth R Ocampo and Pakistani singer Yasmeen Lari have also won the 2016 Fukuoka prize in Academic and Arts and Culture categories respectively.

About AR Rahman

• A R. Rahman (full name Allah-Rakha Rahman) is one of the most globally popular Indian music icons.
• His work is well known and renowned for inter mixing Eastern classical music with electronic music and traditional orchestral arrangements.
• He has won multiple international awards including 2 Academy Awards (famously known as Oscars), 2 Grammy Awards, BAFTA Award and Golden Globe Award.

About Fukuoka Prize

• Fukuoka Prize is an annual prize that honours the outstanding work of individuals or organizations in preserving or creating Asian culture.
• It was established in 1990 by the Japanese city of Fukuoka and the Yokatopia Foundation.
• The prize has three categories Grand Prize, Academic Prize, and Arts and Culture Prize.
• The award ceremony is held in every year in September (which is also known as Asian Month in Fukuoka) along with the public forums by the prize winners.
• Previous winners from India include dancer Padma Subrahmanyam, sitar player Ravi Shankar, sarod maestro Amjad Ali Khan and historians Romila Thapar and Ramachandra Guha (2015).

Month: Current Affairs - June, 2016