Chhattisgarh tribal artist Pandi Ram Mandavi honoured with Padma Shri award

Mandavi's distinct contribution remains in the creation of a bamboo Bastar flute popularly cited as ‘Sulur’.
Pandi Ram Mandavi
Pandi Ram MandaviPhoto | Express
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RAIPUR: Among the legends of Bastar in south Chhattisgarh, Pandi Ram Mandavi, 68, is the third individual from the region to be honoured with the country’s prestigious Padma Shri award.

He was bestowed with the fourth-highest civilian award for his extraordinary accomplishment in the field of wood craftsmanship and traditional musical instruments.

Mandavi, a member of the Gond Muria tribe, is a native of Maoist-affected Narayanpur district, about 400 km south of Raipur.

Hemchand Manjhi, 70, who has been a traditional medicine practitioner for the past 50 years and Anup Ranjan Pandey, 55, a creator of ‘Bastar Band’, a motley crew of musicians drawn from local tribal communities are the earlier recipients. Mandavi is the third from Bastar among the Padma honourees.

Pandi Ram Mandavi
Pandi Ram MandaviPhoto | Express

Mandavi has not just preserved the cultural heritage of Bastar for the past five decades but also given it a new identity. His distinct contribution remains in the creation of a bamboo Bastar flute popularly cited as ‘Sulur’.

He is also credited for taking creative activity and artwork at the national and global level through the notable embossed paintings, sculptures and other fine art craft on wooden panels.

The tribal artist was barely 12 years old when he began learning the art from his ancestors and with his passion and skill, Mandavi took the artwork and culture of Chhattisgarh’s Bastar region to a newer height.

As a cultural ambassador, the Muria wood carver Mandavi has exhibited his masterpiece art in more than eight countries. Twelve years ago, he was bestowed with the prestigious J Swaminathan Puraskaram award by the Kerala government’s Lalithalaka Akademi.

Through his consistent endeavour and workshops, he has gone ahead to take the tradition to new generations by training over a thousand artisans.

Chief Minister Vishnu Deo Sai extended his compliment to Pandi Ram Mandavi for being honoured with the esteemed Padma Shri. “Being selected for Padma Shri is an occasion of pride for Chhattisgarh. He has given a new identity to the Bastar’s cultural heritage safeguarding it with his exceptional talent”, CM Sai said in a statement posted on X.

His tribal community hopes that with such recognition for Mandavi, the government will extend support and facilitate secured markets for wooden arts and products from Bastar.

Pandi Ram Mandavi
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