Performing arts: Thespians, craftsmen among 25 conferred Padma awards

Hindustani classical singers Pandit Chhannulal Mishra and Pandit Ajoy Chakraborty were among the over 25 recipients of the Padma Awards in the field of performing arts announced on Saturday. While 83-year-old Mishra, a renowned exponent of the Kirana Gharana of the Hindustani classical music, was honored with the highest Padma award--Padma Vibhushan, Chakraborty was awarded a Padma Bhushan.

Singers and dancers, both classical as well as folk, along with several theatre personalities made it to the Padma Shri list. These include Guru Sheshadhar Acharya, known for his work towards the revival and propagation of Seraikella Chhau, a semi-classical dance form involving elements of martial arts, as well as tribal and folk traditions; Guru Indira PP Bora, an internationally acclaimed exponent of Bharatnatyam, Kuchipudi and Sattriya dances; dancer Vajira Chitrasena; and renowned Kathak dancer Purushottam Dadheech.

Among the winners in the field of music were Carnatic music singing duo C Saroja and C Lalitha, popularly known as 'The Bombay Sisters'; Indian classical sitar player Pandit Manilal Nag; the husband-wife duo of Nagaswaram artistes Kali Shahi Mahaboob and Sheikh Mahaboob Subani; and Rajasthani folk and Sufi singer Anwar Khan Manganiar. Several thespians also made the cut for the Padma Shri awards.

Those named were acclaimed Hindi playwright and director Daya Prakash Sinha and doyen of Parsi theatre Yazdi Karanjia. The list also recognized several small scale artisans who are contributing towards keeping their native craft traditions alive, like V K Munusamy, a terracotta master craftsmen, and puppeteers Moozhikkal Pankajakshi and Dalavai Chalapathi Rao, from Kerala and Andhra Pradesh respectively.

Also on the list were Manohar Devadoss, a writer, innovator, and self-trained artist; and Sambalpuri lyricist Mitrabhanu Gountia.

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