# National Award of Recognition for Performing Arts

The National Award of Recognition for Performing Arts is one of the categories in the National Award of Recognition presented annually by the President of the Maldives to acknowledge, encourage and honor the outstanding contribution of individuals in film production, direction, acting, singing and music composition. The National Award is the most prestigious award given in Maldives. Established in 1979, National Award was given in major two categories; National Award of Honor and National Award of Recognition, which is further categorized based on the honored fields.
The first recipient of the award was music composer Ibrahim Ahmed, who has been noted as the local "backbone" for modernizing the old-fashioned music into the latest trend. Among the awardees, singer Fareedha Mohamed is the only posthumous recipient. Actor Chilhiya Moosa Manik, actor Kopee Mohamed Rasheed, Kashima Ahmed Shakir and director Fathimath Nahula have been honored with National Award of Recognition in other fields too.

## Recipients

List of award recipients by year :
| Year (Ceremony) | Image | Recipient | Island | Field | Ref(s) |
| 1980 (2nd) | | Ibrahim Ahmed | Male' | Music composition | |
| 1981 (3rd) | | Abdul Fattah Yoosuf | Male' | Music composition | |
| 1981 (3rd) | | Abdulla Hassan | Male' | Singing | |
| 1982 (4th) | | Mohamed Habeeb | Male' | Music composition | |
| 1982 (4th) | | Mariyam Ahmed Didi | GDh. Thinadhoo | Singing | |
| 1982 (4th) | | Fareedha Mohamed | HA. Hoarafushi | Singing | |
| 1983 (5th) | | Ibrahim Hamdhy | Male' | Singing | |
| 1983 (5th) | | Fathimath Rauf | Male' | Singing | |
| 1983 (5th) | | Chilhiya Moosa Manik | Male' | Theatre performance | |
| 1984 (6th) | | Naifaru Dhohokko | Male' | Singing | |
| 1984 (6th) | | Abdul Hannan Moosa Didi | Male' | Singing | |
| 1984 (6th) | | Kopee Mohamed Rasheed | Male' | Theatre performance | |
| 1985 (7th) | | Kashima Ahmed Shakir | Male' | Theatre Performance | |
| 1986 (8th) | | Mohamed Rashad | Male' | Singing | |
| 1987 (9th) | | Fibo Ahmed Manik | Male' | Theatre performance | |
| 1987 (9th) | | Mohamed Khaleel | Male' | Singing | |
| 1988 (10th) | | Mahmoodha Shakeeb | Male' | Singing | |
| 1988 (10th) | | Mariyam Rasheedha | S. Maradhoo | Theatre performance | |
| 1989 (11th) | | Yoosuf Rafeeu | Male' | Acting | |
| 1990 (12th) | | Ahmed Nashid | Male' | Music composition | |
| 1991 (13th) | | Ahmed Nimal | Male' | Theatre performance | |
| 1992 (14th) | | Hassan Yoosuf | Male' | Music composition | |
| 1992 (14th) | | Mohamed Zahid | Male' | Music composition | |
| 1992 (14th) | | Ibrahim Naseer | Male' | Music composition | |
| 1992 (14th) | | Ibrahim Shakeeb | Male' | Singing | |
| 1992 (14th) | | Shafeeqa Abdul Latheef | Male' | Singing | |
| 1992 (14th) | | Fathimath Rameeza | Male' | Theatre performance | |
| 1993 (15th) | | Mohamed Rasheed | Male' | Music composition | |
| 1993 (15th) | | Shammoon Hameed | Male' | Music composition | |
| 1993 (15th) | | Hassan Mohamed | Holhudhoo | Singing | |
| 1994 (16th) | No Award | No Award | No Award | No Award | No Award |
| 1995 (17th) | | Aishath Inaya | Male' | Singing | |
| 1995 (17th) | | Umar Zahir | Male' | Singing | |
| 1996 (18th) | | Sofa Thaufeeq | Male' | Singing | |
| 1997 (19th) | | Reeko Moosa Manik | Male' | Acting | |
| 1998 (20th) | | Dhon Annaaru Rasheed | Male' | Film production | |
| 1998 (20th) | | Fazeela Amir | Male' | Singing | |
| 1999 (21st) | No Award | No Award | No Award | No Award | No Award |
| 2000 (22nd) | | Ahmed Amir | Male' | Music composition | |
| 2000 (22nd) | | Shifa Thaufeeq | Male' | Singing | |
| 2000 (22nd) | | Hussain Rasheed | Male' | Film production | |
| 2001 (23rd) | | Aishath Shiranee | Male' | Acting | |
| 2001 (23rd) | | Fathimath Zoona | Male' | Singing | |
| 2002 (24th) | | Mukhthar Adam | GA. Dhaandhoo | Singing | |
| 2003 (25th) | | Ali Abdul Kareem | Male' | Music composition | |
| 2003 (25th) | | Yoosuf Shafeeu | Male' | Acting | |
| 2004 (26th) | | Masodi Hassan Khaleel | Male' | Singing | |
| 2004 (26th) | | Jamsheedha Ahmed | Gn. Fuvahmulah | Acting | |
| 2004 (26th) | | Abdul Faththaah | Kelaa | Film direction | |
| 2005 (27th) | | Abdul Baaree | B. Fulhadhoo | Singing | |
| 2005 (27th) | | Mohamed Rasheed | Male' | Acting | |
| 2005 (27th) | | Ahmed Amir | Dh. Maaenboodhoo | Film production and direction | |
| 2005 (27th) | | Mohamed Ikram | Male' | Music composition | |
| 2006 (28th) | | Ahmed Faseeh | Male' | Music composition | |
| 2006 (28th) | | Mohamed Shuheil | Male' | Singing | |
| 2006 (28th) | | Mohamed Munthasir | Male' | Dramatics and choreography | |
| 2006 (28th) | | Amjad Ibrahim | Male' | Film direction | |
| 2007 (29th) | | Abdul Sameeu Abdul Gafoor | Male' | Singing | |
| 2007 (29th) | | Shaaz Saeed | Lh. Naifaru | Music composition | |
| 2007 (29th) | | Sheela Najeeb | Male' | Acting | |
| 2008 | No Ceremony | No Ceremony | No Ceremony | No Ceremony | No Ceremony |
| 2009 (30th) | | Fathimath Nahula | Male' | Film production and direction | |
| 2010 (31st) | | Mohamed Majid | Male' | Singing and music composition | |
| 2010 (31st) | | Mohamed Niyaz | Male' | Film and song direction and production | |
| 2011 (32nd) | | Rafiyath Rameeza | Male' | Singing | |
| 2011 (32nd) | | Niuma Mohamed | GDh. Vaadhoo | Acting | |
| 2012 (33rd) | | Roanu Hassan Manik | K. Villingili | Acting and theatre performance | |
| 2012 (33rd) | | Hussain Ali | F. Nilandhoo | Singing | |
| 2013 (34th) | | Hussain Sobah | Male' | Music composition | |
| 2014 (35th) | | Ahmed Athif | Male' | Singing | |
| 2015 (36th) | No Award | No Award | No Award | No Award | No Award |
| 2016 (37th) | | Mariyam Unoosha | Male' | Singing | |
| 2017 (38th) | | Mohamed Abdul Ghanee | Lh. Naifaru | Singing | |
| 2017 (38th) | | Ibrahim Rasheed | Male' | Acting and script writing | |
| 2018 (39th) | | Ali Shifau | Male' | Film direction | |
| 2018 (39th) | | Ibrahim Zaid Ali | GDh. Thinadhoo | Singing and music composition | |
| 2019 (40th) | | Abdul Rasheed Ali | Male' | Singing | |
| 2020 (41st) | No Award | No Award | No Award | No Award | No Award |
| 2021 (42nd) | No Award | No Award | No Award | No Award | No Award |
| 2022 (43rd) | | Detune Band | — | Singing | |
| 2023 (44th) | No Award | No Award | No Award | No Award | No Award |
| 2024 (45th) | No Award | No Award | No Award | No Award | No Award |

## Explanatory notes

* ↑ She was posthumously awarded for the year 1982.