BHUBANESWAR: Twelve personalities from Odisha received the prestigious Padma Awards for their contribution to different fields, at the 2020 Civil Investiture ceremony at Rashtrapati Bhavan on Monday.Litterateur Manoj Das, who passed away earlier this year at Puducherry, was conferred with Padma Bhushan (posthumously) for his contribution to literature.
Similarly, Padma Shri awards were given away to Damayanti Beshra, Binapani Mohanty and Dr Prasanta Kumar Pattnaik for their contribution to the field of literature and education. Chaiti Ghoda Nacha artiste Utsav Charan Das, lyricist and composer of the Sambalpuri cult song ‘Rangabati’ Mitrabhanu Gountia, Chhau artiste Shashadhar Acharya and director Manmohan Mahapatra (posthumous) received the award in the field of art.
The President of India Ram Nath Kovind also honoured Prof Radhamohan (posthumously) and his daughter Sabarmatee with the award for their contribution towards education, sustainable development, agriculture and gender justice. Sabarmatee has been practising organic farming since 1989. She has preserved over 450 varieties of paddy seeds in Odisha and is training farmers in organic farming. Batakrushna Sahoo, who has been instrumental in introducing hundreds of farmers to pisciculture, and Dr Digambar Behera, a pioneer of lung cancer chemotherapy, also received the award on the day.
Speaking to The New Indian Express, Batakrushna said, “I am thankful to the State and Central governments for choosing me for this prestigious award. I will continue to train interested youths in aquaculture and fish breeding to make them financially independent.”
Utsav Das who has been working tirelessly to keep the centuries-old Ghoda Nacha folk dance form alive, said the award serves as an encouragement to help more young artistes learn the dance form and keep innovating it to suit the urban audience. He thanked the government for the accolade.
The Padma awards ceremony which was slated for April 3, 2020, was postponed in the wake of the Covid-19 outbreak. On Sunday, the Government of India had announced that four separate ceremonies would be held at the Rashtrapati Bhavan on October 8 and October 9 to honour the Padma recipients.
Gandhian Shanti Devi, teacher Nanda Prusty, poet Purnamasi Jani, author-commentator Rajat Kumar Kar, doctor Krishna Mohan Pati and sculptor Sudarshan Sahoo will receive the civilian honours at the Rashtrapati Bhavan on Tuesday. Sudarshan Sahoo will receive the Padma Vibhushan - the second highest civilian award of the country - for his work in the field of art.At the ceremony on the day, the Vice-President, the Prime Minister and the Minister of Home Affairs were present.