Pune: The Sancheti Healthcare Academy (SHA) would reward dance/movement therapists on April 29 in an effort to recognize their contribution to the wellness of people.

Manisha Sanghavi, executive director of the Sancheti Group, initiated the creative art therapy awards to honour practitioners of therapeutic use of arts. Sanghavi said, “The use of dance, drama, art and music as a medium to heal is as old as our scriptures, yet has very little value today. We discovered that so many selfless souls had dedicated their lives to combining creative art therapies with healthcare. We thought we should recognise their work with the awards.”

The categories of awards include expressive art therapies, including the use of art, music, drama, dance/movement, poetry/creative writing, bibliotherapy, play and sand-play within the context of psychotherapy, counselling, rehabilitation or medicine.

Sanghavi said, “Creative art therapists have toiled as hard as a medical professional, if not more, to bring wellness to the community. The awards will recognise the silent heroes.”