BHUBANESWAR: Four veteran Odia artistes were conferred with the Sangeet Natak Akademi Amrit Award-2022 by Vice President Jagdeep Dhankar at New Delhi on Saturday. The awardees are Chhau dancer Siba Prasad Das, theatre director Anant Mahapatra, folk musician (Brahma veena player) Ananda Bag and Gotipua dancer Gobinda Chandra Pal. They were honoured for their contribution to the field of performing arts.
The award carries a cash reward of `1 lakh, a tamrapatra and an angavastram. The recipients were selected by the Akademi’s general council consisting of distinguished musicians, dancers, theatre artistes and scholars in these disciplines and nominees of the government of India, state government. New Delhi-based Odissi dancer Kumkum Lal, who was a disciple of Guru Kelucharan Mohapatra, also received the award.
It is a one-time honour being conferred by the Akademi on 86 senior artistes under Azadi Ka Amrit Mahotsav to commemorate 75 years of India’s Independence. Those selected are above 75 years of age and have not been bestowed any national honour in their career so far. The list of awardees was announced in November last year.
Minister of Law and Justice (Independent Charge) and Minister of State for Culture and Parliamentary Affairs Arjun Ram Meghwal and Minister of State for Culture and External Affairs Meenakashi Lekhi were present.