Sangeet Natak Akademi Puraskar (Akademi Award) is an award given by the Sangeet Natak Akademi, an academy for performing arts. It is the highest Indian recognition given to practicing artists.The award consists since 2003 of Rs. 50,000, a citation, an angavastram (a shawl), and a tamrapatra (a brass plaque). The awards are given in the categories music, dance, theatre, other traditional/folk/tribal/dance/music/theatre and Puppetry, and contribution/scholarship in performing arts.

Award winners

Carnatic music(Vocal)

* 2008 - Puranam Purushottama Sastri
* 2007 - B. Krishnamoorti
* 2006 - D. Pasupathi, Chingleput Ranganathan
* 2005 - S. V. Parthasarrathy, P. S. Narayanaswamy
* 2004 - Thiruvengadu A. Jayaraman, C. Saroja & C. Lalitha
* 2003 - Trichur V. Ramachandran, M. A. Narasimhachar
* 2002 - T.R. Subramanyam
* 1997 - M.S. Balasubramanya Sarma
* 1996 - T.K. Govinda Rao
* 1995 - R. Vedavalli
* 1994 - C.S. Krishna Iyer
* 1993 - Trichy Swaminathan Iyer
* 1992 - K.R. Kumaraswamy Iyer
* 1991 - S. Rajam
* 1990 - T. V. Sankaranarayanan
* 1989 - Titte Krishna Iyengar
* 1988 - Nookala Chinna Satyanarayana
* 1987 - Mani Krishnaswami
* 1987 - Madurai N. Krishnan
* 1986 - Nedunuri Krishnamoorthy
* 1986 - B. Rajam Iyer
* 1985 - Voleti Venkatesvarulu
* 1984 - Maharajapuram V. Santhanam
* 1983 - D. K. Jayaraman
* 1982 - T.M. Thiagarajan
* 1981 - Radha and Jayalakshmi
* 1980 - Seerkhazhi S. Govindarajan
* 1979 - R K Srikanthan
* 1978 - Madurai S. Somasundaram
* 1977 - Sripada Pinakapani
* 1976 - K.V.Narayanaswamy
* 1975 - M. Balamurali Krishna
* 1974 - M. D. Ramanathan
* 1973 - B.S. Raja Iyengar
* 1972 - T. Muktha
* 1971 - N. Channakeshaviah
* 1970 - M. L. Vasanthakumari
* 1969 - Dandapani Desigar
* 1968 - Alathur Srinivasa Iyer
* 1967 - C. Venkata Rao
* 1966 - M.R. Srirengam Iyengar
* 1965 - T. Brinda
* 1964 - Chittoor S. Subramanyam
* 1963 - B. Devendrappa
* 1962 - D. K. Pattammal
* 1961 - Mudikondan C. Venkatarama Iyer
* 1960 - Madurai Mani Iyer
* 1959 - G. N. Balasubramaniam
* 1958 - Chembai Vaidyanatha Bhagavathar
* 1957 - Musiri Subramania Iyer
* 1956 - M. S. Subbulakshmi
* 1955 - Maharajapuram Vishwanatha Iyer
* 1954 - Mysore K. Vasudevacharya
* 1953 - Semmangudi R. Srinivasa Iyer
* 1952 - Ariyakudi Ramanuja Iyengar

Instrumental(Clarionet)

o 1994 - A. K. C. Natarajan

Flute

o Palladam Sanjeeva Rao, 1954
o T. Viswanathan 1987
o T.N. Swaminatha Pillai,1961
o Sikkil Sisters - Kunjumani & Neela,1989
o T. R. Mahalingam, 1965
o Kesi Narayanaswamy, 1997
o Natesan Ramani, 1984
o T.S. Sankaran, 1999-2000
o Prapancham Sita Ram, 2004

Ghatam

o Thetakudi Harihara Vinayakram, 1988
o Umayalpuram K. Narayanaswamy, 1995

Gottuvadhyam

o 1958 - Budalur Krishnamurthi Sastri
o 2006 - Chitravina N. Ravi Kiran

Kanjira

o 2001 - G. Harishankar

Mridangam

o Palghat Mani Iyer, 1956
o C.S. Murugabhoopathy, 1975
o Kolanka Venkataraju, 1979
o Palghat R. Raghu, 1983
o T. K. Murthy, 1987
o T. V. Gopalakrishnan 1990
o Vellore G. Ramabhadran, 1991
o Umayalpuram K. Sivaraman, 1992
o Dandamudi Rammohan Rao, 1994
o Guruvayur Dorai, 1996
o Karaikudi Mani 1998
o V. Kamalakar Rao, 1999-2000
o Yella Venkateshwara Rao, 2002
o Madras A. Kannan, 2004
o Thiruvarur Bakthavathsalam, 2006
o Mannargudi A. Easwaran, 2008

Nadaswaram

o Thiruvaduthurai N. Rajratnam Pillai, 1955
o Dr.Thiruvengadu Subramania Pillai, 1962
o P.S. Veeruswamy Pillai, 1966
o T. S. Natarajasundaram Pillai, 1972
o Sheik Chinna Moulana, 1976
o Namagiripettai K. Krishnan 1981
o Domada Chitiabbayi, 1995
o Ongale N. Rangaiah, 2005
o S. R. D. Vaithiyanathan, 2007

Saxophone

o 2003 - Kadri Gopalnath

Thavil

o Valangaiman A. Shanmugasundaram Pillai, 1985
o Valayapatti A.R. Subramaniam, 1988
o Haridwaramangalam A. K. Palanivel, 2001

Veena

o Karaikudi Sambasiva Iyer, 1952
o L. Subramanya Sastri, 1960
o K.S. Narayanaswami, 1968
o Devakottai A. Narayana Iyengar 1969
o Mysore V. Doreswamy Iyengar, 1970
o Emani Sankara Sastry, 1973
o Sundaram Balachander, 1977
o Tanjavur K.P. Sivanandam, 1980
o Raajeswari Padmanabhan, 1986
o R. Pichumani Iyer, 1988
o Chitti Babu, 1990
o M.K. Kalyanakrishna Bhagavathar, 1992
o Kalpakam Swaminathan, 1993
o R.N. Doreswamy, 2001

Violin

o Dwaram Venkataswamy Naidu, 1953
o Tirumakudalu Chowdiah, 1957
o Kumbakonam Rajamanickkam Pillai, 1959
o T.K. Jayarama Iyer, 1963
o K.N. Chinnaswamy Iyer, 1964
o K.S. Venkataramiah 'Papa', 1967
o Madurai S. Subramanya Iyer, 1971
o T. N. Krishnan, 1974
o Lalgudi Jayaraman, 1978
o M. S. Gopalakrishnan, 1982
o M. Chandrasekaran, 1986
o Chalakudy N.S. Narayanaswamy, 1988
o R.K. Venkatarama Sastry, 1989
o Kandadevi S. Alagiriswamy, 1991
o Kunnakudi Vaidyanathan, 1993
o Annavarapu Ramaswamy, 1996
o T. Rukmini, 1997
o M. S. Anantharaman, 1998
o R. R Keshava Murthy, 1999-2000
o A. Kanyakumari, 2003
o V. V. Subrahmanyam 2005
o B. Sasikumar, 2008