Carnatic vocalist Aruna Sairam and flautist Shashank Subramanyam were conferred with the prestigious Chevalier award by the French government at a ceremony in Chennai.

• The award was given in recognition of their contribution to the music field and development of Indo-France relations.
• According to a citation from the French Ministry of Culture, the award was intended to honour personalities for their creativity in cultural spheres and their works that formed the wealth of the cultural heritage.
• Ms. Sairam and Mr. Subramanyam were conferred the title of Chevalier De L’orde Des Arts Et Des Lettres.
• The award is considered to be one of the primary distinctions from among the four ministerial orders of the French Republic.
• The government had recognised their talent and dedication towards arts and culture.