Bhubaneswar: Twelve eminent artistes from the state have been selected for the prestigious Sangeet Natak Akademi Awards and the Ustad Bismillah Khan Yuva Puraskar for 2024 and 2025.The honours, announced by the Sangeet Natak Akademi, recognise outstanding contributions to Indian performing arts, including dance, music, theatre and traditional cultural practices.For 2024, Sangeet Natak Akademi Awards will be conferred on five artistes from Odisha, including Guru Bichitrananda Swain for Odissi dance, Guru Ranjit Kumar Nag for Sambalpuri dance, Guru Pagulu Jena for Mayurbhanj Chhau, Guru Sacchidananda Das forMardala, and theatre director Subodh Pattnaik.Three young artistes from the state have also been selected for the Ustad Bismillah Khan Yuva Puraskar for the year. They are Matruprasad Das for Odissi music, Gaurishankar Das for dance, and Debi Prasad Mishra for light designing.For 2025, the Sangeet Natak Akademi Awards will be presented to Guru Illeana Citaristi for Odissi dance and Guru Sushant Kumar Mahapatra for his contribution to Kandhei dance mask-making, a traditional art form closely associated with Odisha’s folk cultural heritage.The Ustad Bismillah Khan Yuva Puraskar 2025 will be conferred upon Shubhashree Swain for Chhau and Namrata Mehta for Odissi dance.Congratulating the awardees, Odia language, literature and culture minister Suryabanshi Suraj described the achievement as a matter of immense pride for the state. He said the recognition reflects Odisha’s rich cultural legacy and the dedication of its artistes in preserving and promoting traditional art forms.“The honour bestowed upon these artistes at the national-level is a proud moment for Odisha and will inspire future generations to pursue and preserve our rich artistic traditions,” the minister said.Suraj added that the recognition of artistes across diverse disciplines such as Odissi, Sambalpuri dance, Chhau, theatre, music, Mardala and traditional craftsmanship highlights Odisha’s enduring contribution to India’s cultural landscape and reinforces the state’s position as a vibrant centre of performing and folk arts.
