Awards & Recognitions

Govt. Of India's President Award of "PadmaShri", 1992

As an Organiser

Her commitment to the preservation and propagation of the rich tapestry of Indian classical performing arts have turned her into a zealous and committed organiser of 2 well known annual Festivals, since the year 1979, "LalitArpan" (earlier called "Arpan") and "Rhythm & Joy" (earlier called "Sandhya Saurabh"), one featuring the famous maestros and the other Festival providing a platform to the young, unknown but talented future torch-bearers of the tradition.

Deeply committed, involved and aware of people and their problems, she was deeply involved with the organisation and presentation of the first artists' endeavour to help the families affected by the Kargil war in 1999, also responding to the call of introspection after the ghastly World Trade Tower episodes, in 'Sound of Emptiness and Harmony' along with Buddhist monks (2001), and yet again after the Tsunami disaster in a breathtaking endeavour 'Artistes for Tsunami Relief' (2005) for rehabilitation of Tsunami affected people.

The Path Breaker & the Role Model

Shovana Narayan is a classical example of a true Kathak, multi-faceted, successful and dynamic, and presents a challenge to today's spectator. Her life and her works have made her a role model and peer for millions of girls of the younger generation of today. The younger generation look up to emulate her as she has set high standards and been a trend-setter in more ways than one. Besides her extraordinary achievements and pioneering works in the field of dance, she is the first professional dancer who successfully pursued a parallel full-fledged career in the Indian Audit & Accounts Service, entering it through an extremely competitive civil service examination in 1976. In addition, she is highly qualified for she is yet again the first professional dancer who holds degrees of Masters in Physics, two MPhils and a D.Litt (HC). In an atmosphere where family relationships are under strain, Shovana again has set an example of having a successful long-distance inter-continental marriage to a career Austrian diplomat, Dr Herbert Traxl, who served as his country's Ambassador in several countries since 1983 (they have been married since 1982) besides being a caring mother to their son, Erwin Ishan Traxl.

Recognition came her way early by way of awards. Her creativity and contribution to the art has been admired and appreciated through numerous awards such as:

• Govt. Of India's President Award of "PadmaShri", 1992
• Govt of India's "Sangeet Natak Akademi Award" for 1999-2000 in 2001
• Delhi Govt's Sahitya Kala Parishad's "Parishad Samman", 1992
• Bihar Gaurav Award, 1987
• OISCA Award of Japan, 1990-91
• Rajiv Gandhi Award for Excellence, 1992
• Rajdhani Ratna Award, 1992
• Bharat Shringar Shiromani Award
• Rotary International Vocational Award, 1992
• Bharat Nirman Award, 1992
• Rajiv Smriti Puraskar, 1993
• Dadabhai Naoroji Award, 1993
• National Integration award
• Indira Gandhi Priyadarshini Samman, 1996
• Top Cultural Ambassador Award by World Marketing Congress, IMM, 2002
• Kelvinator's GR8Award, 2007
• FICCI's FLO Silver Jubilee Awards for Women of Excellence, 2007-08
• Women's International Award, 2010
• International Congress of Women, 2010
• Kalpana Chawla Excellence Award, 2011
• WIN's (Women's International Network) Kiran Lifetime Achievement Award, 2011
• CNN IBN's Guru Shishya Award, 2012
• Guru ML Koser Award, 2013
• Guru Deba Prasad Award, 2013
• Art Karat Award, 2014
• Rotary's SHREYAS Award, 2014
• Bharat Nirman's SOCIAL RESPONSIBILITY Award, 2014.
• NRITYA RATNA Award, Ustad Ashique Ali Khan Art & Music Trust, 2015
• “Shaksiyat”Award, International Womens Day Special, 2015.
• 10th Baba Allauddin Khan Award, 2015
• Culture Education Ratna Awarad, 2017    -  decorated on 17-8-2017
• Ustad Chand Khan Award, 2017        -  decorated on 7-9-2017
• 8th Rajiv Gandhi Excellence Award, 2017    -  decorated on 9-9-2017
• Kabi Samrat Upendra Bhanja Award, 2017    -  decorated on 11-9-2017
• Amar Ujala Excellence Award, 2017    -  decorated on 16-9-2017
• Loknayak JP (Jaya Prakash) Award, 2019    - decorated on 11-10-2019
• Vidushi Vidyottama Stree Shakti Samman, 2019    -  decorated on 14-12-2019
• 10th AIPA Spirit of Dance Award        - decorated on 24-1-2020
• Bihar Govt’s Rashtriya (National) Award for 2018-19       - decorated on 30-1-2021
• Bharatmuni Lifetime Achievement Award, 2021 – decorated on 25.12.2021
• ISAW Award 2022 (decorated on 28.3.22)
• Utsav Samman 2022 (decorated on 1st April, 2022 Kamani)
• Guru Pt Birju Mahar Samman, Pune (decorated on 16.5.2022)
• Durga Shakti Award 2022 – decorated on 2.10.22, Rotary Club Noida)