Prabha Atre accepts 'Swarbhaskar' award

PUNE: Veteran vocalist Prabha Atre was felicitated by Pune Municipal Corporation with the prestigious 'Swarbhaskar' on Sunday. She followed it up with a musical performance.
The award is instituted in the memory of Pandit Bhimsen Joshi. Every year, it is given to a stalwart in the music field. Atre's name was announced in June 2014, but the function to confer it was delayed.
In 2015, Atre had refused to accept the award stating that the civic body had "insulted" her by making false allegations.The vocalist had commented over the delay which former mayor Dattatraya Dhankawde said was because of her terms and conditions where she wanted Union ministers present for the ceremony.
Dhankawde had made public the communication between her and the civic body. He said Atre wanted the civic body to organize a musical programme with her foundation during the award ceremony and had suggested that PMC pay her foundation. She also did not want any political leader on the dais during the ceremony. Dhankawde said PMC was finding it difficult to accept her conditions.
Atre retaliated to Dhankawde's clarification. She wrote to him saying that she was not going to accept the award as PMC had defamed her. She said she has not set any terms and they were mere suggestions which were not binding on the civic body. Atre had said she was hurt that the mayor had disclosed a private communication between her and PMC to the media.