BHUBANESWAR: President Droupadi Murmu on Tuesday conferred Padma Shri on three eminent personalities from Odisha for their outstanding contribution to the fields of literature, education and arts, during a special ceremony at the Rashtrapati Bhavan in New Delhi.
They are noted litterateur and educationist Charan Hembram, distinguished Bandha artist Sarat Kumar Patra and renowned folk theatre personality Simanchal Patra. They were among the 65 personalities honoured by the President in the ceremony.
A native of Nungan village in Mayurbhanj district, Hembram was presented the Padma Shri for his outstanding contribution to Santali language and literature. His work has played a vital role in promoting indigenous literature and preserving cultural heritage.
During his tenure as the secretary of the Board of Santali Education, Odisha from 1992 to 2004,Hembram played a transformative role to promote Santali education. Significant developments were achieved in this period, including the posting of 30 Ol Chiki teachers by the Government of Odisha in 1992.
The 74-year-old has devoted more than three decades to the promotion, development and preservation of the Santali language,literature and culture. This apart, he has also established several institutions dedicated to enriching the language and made significant contributions to safeguarding the traditional dance culture of tribal women.
Similarly, eminent Bandha artist Sarat Kumar Patra from Tigiria area of Kataka district was honoured with the Padma Shri for his exceptional craftsmanship in intricately weaving verses from Geeta Govinda, dedicated to Lord Jagannath, onto Bandha sarees.Patra successfully inscribed the sacred text on a 52-metre-long Bandha saree - an extremely complex and labour-intensive task which took him seven years to complete.
Despite no formal education, he learnt the art of Ikat weaving and fabric ornamentation from his father, a renowned weaver.To keep the rich Ikat tradition alive, Patra created a monumental ‘Dash-Avatar’ Ikat wall hanging measuring 8’x8’.
This unique work depicts all 10 incarnations of Lord Keshab arranged in a circular form, along with relevant SLOKAS (verses) from Jayadeva’s Gita Govinda.
Simanchal Patra, meanwhile, is a legendary name in the world of folk theatre. Hailing from Ganjam district, the 99-year-old is widely-recognised as the ‘Vishma Pitamaha’ of Prahallad Natak, one of the famous folk theatres of India known for its lively music, dramatic narratives, and strong characters - that combines dance, music, dialogue and elaborate costumes to narrate stories from the epic Mahabharata. His contribution to the growth of this famous musical and masked folk theatre is irreplaceable.
A total of 65 Padma Awards were conferred on the day, including two Padma Vibhushan, seven Padma Bhushan and 56 Padma Shri. The President had conferred 65 Padma Awards, two Padma Vibhushan, six Padma Bhushan and 57 Padma Shri in the first civil investiture ceremony held on May 25.
