BHUBANESWAR: Eminent singer and music director Rakhal Chandra Mohanty and actor-director Sachi Das will be conferred the coveted Kabi Samrat Upendra Bhanja Samman for 2014 and 2015 respectively for their lifetime contribution to the field of performing arts.
The Samman, instituted by Orissa Sangeet Natak Akademi, is the State’s highest honour for performing artistes. It carries a citation and a cash award of `one lakh. This was announced by the Akademi on Wednesday.
The Akademi also announced its other annual awards in 15 categories for both the years. As many as 30 artistes have been chosen for the awards in various categories. Each awardee will receive a citation and a cash award of `30,000. The awards will be presented at a special ceremony in the Capital City on March 29.
Having started his career with All India Radio in 1974, Mohanty was the vocalist for Odissi dancers like Sanjukta Panigrahi, Sonal Mansingh and Madhavi Mudgal, besides working in Odia music industry. Das, similarly, began his career as theatre actor with Janata Rangamancha. Subsequently, he established a theatre organisation ‘Ebang Ame’. Today, even at the age of 82, he is directing dramas on social themes and staging them throughout the State.