Young Indian Cultural Ambassadors Awards

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WHAT ARE YICA AWARDS?

Our History

The Young Indian Cultural Ambassador (YICA) Awards are a prestigious initiative of the Birmingham Thyagaraja Festival (BTF), launched in 2023 to commemorate India’s 75th year of independence. These awards recognize and celebrate exceptional young talents who have demonstrated dedication, excellence, and significant contributions to the promotion and preservation of Indian classical arts worldwide.

Our Mission

The Young Indian Cultural Ambassador (YICA) Awards aim to recognize, nurture, and celebrate the next generation of artists dedicated to Indian classical music and dance.

The key mission of the YICA Awards is to:

Encourage Young Talent – Provide a global platform for emerging artists to showcase their skills and gain recognition.

Preserve & Promote Indian Heritage – Honor young ambassadors who contribute to the preservation and promotion of Indian classical arts worldwide.

Inspire Future Generations – Motivate and empower young musicians and dancers to continue the rich traditions of Carnatic and Hindustani music, as well as classical dance forms.

Foster Cultural Exchange – Create opportunities for young artists to connect, collaborate, and engage with a diverse audience, bridging cultures through art.

Support Artistic Excellence – Recognize outstanding dedication, discipline, and artistic achievements among young performers, encouraging them to pursue their passion with confidence.

Through the YICA Awards, BTF reinforces its commitment to keeping Indian classical arts alive and thriving, ensuring they continue to inspire and resonate with generations to come. 🎶✨

OUR PANEL OF EXPERTS -– Guiding the Next Generation of Artistes

The Young Indian Cultural Ambassador (YICA) Awards are supported by a distinguished Panel of Experts, comprising some of the most celebrated and legendary artistes in their respective disciplines of Indian classical music and dance.

Each member of the panel brings years of expertise, deep knowledge, and artistic excellence, offering invaluable guidance, support, and encouragement to YICA’s mission of nurturing young talent. Their commitment to preserving and promoting Indian classical arts plays a crucial role in identifying, mentoring, and inspiring the next generation of musicians and dancers.

With their esteemed presence, the YICA Awards uphold the highest standards of artistic integrity, fostering a global platform where young artistes can flourish, learn, and carry forward the rich traditions of Indian classical arts.

YOUNG INDIAN AMBASSADORS AWARDS

YICA AWARDESS 2023

n 2023, the Birmingham Thyagaraja Festival (BTF) achieved a significant milestone by introducing the Young Indian Cultural Ambassadors (YICA) Awards, in partnership with India in UK (Consulate General of India, Birmingham) and endorsed by UNESCO . This initiative commemorated India's 75th year of independence, aiming to recognize and celebrate young talents who have made notable contributions to the promotion and preservation of Indian classical arts on a global scale.

These awards underscore BTF's commitment to nurturing and promoting young ambassadors of Indian culture, ensuring the rich heritage of Indian classical arts continues to thrive globally.

The inaugural YICA Awards honored several exceptional young artists:
Master Siddharth Devarajan- Mridangam
Divya Rajan- Bharatanatyam
Rasika Sivakumar- Carnatic Vocal
Kamakshi Ambatipudi- Carnatic Violin
Ameya Naik- Hindustani Vocal

YICA AWARDEES

Announcing the Winners – YICA 2023! 🇮🇳🌟

We are proud to announce the winners of the Young Indian Cultural Ambassador (YICA) Awards 2023 — a celebration of exceptional global young talent who have shown passion, dedication, and excellence in promoting Indian arts and culture

YICA 2023 recognised emerging voices inIndian music, dance, visual arts, and cultural leadership, honouring their efforts in keeping traditions alive while inspiring the next generation. These young ambassadors are shining examples of how heritage and creativity can thrive hand in hand.

YICA 2023

Master Siddharth Devarajan- Mridangam
Divya Rajan- Bharatanatyam
Rasika Sivakumar- Carnatic Vocal
Kamakshi Ambatipudi- Carnatic Violin
Ameya Naik- Hindustani Vocal

In 2024, the Birmingham Thyagaraja Festival (BTF) proudly hosted the second annual Young Indian Cultural Ambassadors (YICA) Awards, continuing its mission to honor young talents who have significantly contributed to the promotion and preservation of Indian classical arts worldwide. This initiative, endorsed by UNESCO UK, underscores BTF's dedication to nurturing the rich heritage of Indian culture on a global platform.

The 2024 YICA Awards celebrated the exceptional achievements of the following young artists:

YICA AWARDEES 2024.

Sai Srived Bellamkonda- Carnatic vocal
Srividhya Ramesh- Bharatanatyam
Bhavapriya M- Carnatic Vocal
Ashwin Krishnan- Carnatic Vocal
Kangkhita Chaudhury- Hindustani Vocal
Anirudh Iyer- Mridangam
Keerthi Uday- Mohiniattam
Keerthi Srikannan- Carnatic Flute
Advaith Hari- Carnatic Vocal
Shayori Dey- Bharatanatyam
Sindhu Achar- Mohiniattam
Sharada Krishnan- Carnatic Violin
Skandan Bharadwaj K- Mridangam
P.B Vidhulya- Carnatic Vocal
Manasa Hariprakash- Carnatic Vocal
Sanjana Devrajan- Carnatic Vocal
Sairam Kumar Iyer- Mridangam
Diya Rao- Carnatic Flute
Srikar Satish- Carnatic Flute
Prateeksha Prasad- Bharatanatyam
Neeraj Chandrasekhar- Carnatic Violin
Jayashree Srinivasan- Bharatanatyam
Advaith Ilavajhala- Mridangam
Ahana Arora Sawhney- Sitar
Smita Rajan-Bharatanatyam

These young ambassadors exemplify the vibrant future of Indian classical arts, ensuring the traditions continue to thrive and resonate with audiences around the world. The BTF community extends heartfelt congratulations to the 2024 YICA Awardees and looks forward to their continued contributions to the arts.

YICA AWARDS 2025

Madhura Sriram

Aparna Sajeev

Venkateshwar Venkatasubramanian

Aishwarya Purushottham

Lassmippratha Subesan

Gayathri Gadepaali

Aishwarya R. Krishnan

Punyota Roy

Aaliya Gulati

Sakshi Pai

Anirudh Ramkuamar

Alankrita Mazumdr

Ramya kapur

Pranavi Guruprasanna

Pranav Praveen

Thanmayi Uppangala

Srivatsan Srinivasan

Shishir kumar

Sakshi Challa

Pavani Anupindi

Akshayram Sivakumar

Meenakshi Kannan

Sharanya Bharadwaj

Manasa Sriram

Adwaith Santhosh

Ramkeeran Sivasubramanian

YICA AWARDEES 2026

Animesh

Shruthi Teeluck

Vishwaprasannan

Maitri Vittal Prasad

Annushree Arun Kumar

Prahlad Saravanapriyan

Amrutha Achalla

Varun Rao

Divyashree Sundaram

Mahanya Shree

Sudev Balasubramaniam

Laya Raghav

Vahin Ghosh

Harsha Vishal

Sneha Arumugam

Sriharsha Manda and Praharsha Manda

Nivedha Harish

Mayan Sudharsanan

Aishwarya S Nair

Mahika Sathnur

Sayujya Sathyan

Vibha Srinivasan

Sumedha Mahesh

Deva Narayan

Pazhani Balaji

Congratulations to all the awardees — your commitment to culture is truly commendable, and we are excited to see how you continue to lead with talent and pride. 🇮🇳✨

#YICA2023 #YoungCulturalAmbassadors #IndianCultureUK #YouthLeadership #CulturalHeritage #ShruthiUK #InspiringNextGen #BTF2023 #ArtsAndCulture

YICA AWARDS