MP Govt to felicitate noted artists

Bhopal, May 8 (UNI) Malyalam poet Akkitham Achyutan Nambudiri would be felicitated along with several other noted artists and litterateurs at an award distribution function of the Culture department here tomorrow.

BJP President Rajnath Singh would distribute the awards at the function, which would be presided over by Chief Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan.

Culture Minister Lakshmikant Sharma would be the special guest on the occasion.

Director (Culture) Pawan Srivastava told reporters here that eight national and three state-level awards would be distributed at the function.

Nambudiri would be conferred with the National Kabir Samman for his contribution to poetry. The award carries Rs 1.5 lakh and a citation.

Singer Pandit Puttraj Kavi Gawai, danseuse Sonal Mansingh, painter Shanti Dave and stage artiste Vimal Lath will receive National Kalidas Samman for their contribution to music, dance, painting and drama.

The artists would get Rs one lakh each as a part of the award.

Senior novelist Manu Sharma would be honoured with the National Maithlisharan Gupt Samman for his contribution to literature.

The Devi Ahilyabai Samman for women artists would be bestowed on Gauri Devi for her contribution to cultural and traditional arts.

Author Bishan Tandon would be awarded the National Sharad Joshi Samman for diary writing. An amount of Rs 51,000 is given as a part of the award.

Author Devendra Deepak, painter Shobha Ghare and Kathak exponent Puru Dhadhich would be conferred with the state-level Shikhar Samman for their contribution to creative arts.

The award carries an amount of Rs 31,000 as its part.

The function would start with the exhibition of paintings of Shanti Dave, Gauri Devi and Shobha Gare at Bharat Bhavan here at 1600 hrs tomorrow.

Later, danseuse Sonal Mansingh would render a performance in Oddisi dance.

On the second day of the programme on May 10, reading sessions from works of Nambudiri, Manu Sharma, Bishan Tandon and Dr Devendra Deepak would be organised.

On the third and last day, Dr Dhadhich would render 'Kathak' performance and Pandit Puttraj Kavi Gawai would present classical music.

UNI