Srjan announces Guru Kelucharan Mohapatra award

Bhubaneswar, Aug 31 (UNI) Renowned theatre artiste Kumudini Devi has been choosen for the prestigious Guru Kelucharan Mohapatra award for this year.

Besides, Mr Nikhil Baran Sengupta (Cinema), Guru Banamali Maharana (Music) and Guru Ramani Ranjan Jena (Dance) would also be honoured with the award for their rich contribution for the development of art forms in their respective fields.

Instituted by Srjan, in memory of Odissi dance guru Kelucharan Mohapatra, the award carries a cash prize of Rs 25,000 and a citation for each recipient.

Srjan Director Ratikant Mohapatra told newspersons here that the objective of the award is to generate fellow feeling among the artiste fraternity.

Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik is scheduled to present the awards on the concluding day of a three-day function here on September 7.

While state Culture Minister S N Patro will inaugurate the first day's function on September 5, Orissa Governor M C Bhandare is scheduled to inaugurate the function on the second day.

Eminent artistes, including Namrata Gupta (Odissi), Anita Sharma and Group (classical) Rakesh Chaurasia (Flute), M S Labyana and M S Subbulaxmi (Karnataki Saxophone), Jyostna Jagganathan (Bharatyanam), Alok Kanungo and Group (Odissi), Sagarika Pradhan (Vocal recital), would perform and Ratikanta Mohapatra's innovative choreography ''Mrutyu'' would be presented by the artistes of Srjan during the function for the entertainment of the art lovers.

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