The highest national award for performing arts in India, Sangeet Natak Akademi Award was incepted in the year 1954. The prime body for performing arts in India, Sangeet Natak Akademi introduced the award for felicitating the exceptionally talented people from different fields of performing arts in India. The award is presented in several categories like Hindustani Music (Vocal and Instrumental), Carnatic Music (Vocal and Instrumental), Dance, Theatre, Films, etc. Apart from these, several personalities are also honoured for their overall contribution to their respective fields. The Sangeet Natak Akademi Award for overall contribution was presented for the first time in 1994, to famous dancer Kanak Rele and eminent theatre personality K. V. Subbanna. Since then, many people have won the award for their overall contributions.
The list of the winners of Sangeet Natak Akademi Award for overall contribution is given below:
| Year | Overall Contribution | Year | Overall Contribution |
| 2009 | Leela Venkataraman (Performing Arts) | 2002 | J. N. Kaushal (Theatre) , Romesh Chander (Theatre) |
| 2007 | Mukund Lath (Performing Arts) | 2001 | Suresh Awasthi (Perfroming Arts) |
| 2006 | Rekha Jain (Performing Arts), R. Satyanarayana (Scholarship in performing arts) | 1999- 2000 |
B. V. K. Sastry (Performing Arts),Shanta Sarabjeet Singh (Performing Arts), Nemichandra Jain (Performing Arts) |
| 2005 | Pratibha Agrawal (Theatre) | 1996 | Ram Gopal Bajaj (Theatre) |
| 2004 | S. K. Saxena (Performing Arts) | 1995 | Sunil Kothari (Dance) |
| 2003 | P. V. Subramanium `Subbudu` (Performing Arts) | 1994 | Kanak Rele (Dance), K. V. Subana (Theatre) |
