Eminent theatre personality Anant Mahapatra and Odissi exponent Kumkum Mohanty have been awarded Kabi Samrat Upendra Bhanja Samman

Bhubaneswar:31/8/21: Eminent theatre personality Anant Mahapatra and Odissi exponent Kumkum Mohanty have been awarded the prestigious Kabi Samrat Upendra Bhanja Samman, the highest award of the Odisha Odisha Sangeet Natak Akademi, for the year 2019 and 2020 respectively for their lifetime contribution to the art forms, at a function held at Rabindra Mandap here on 30th, August 2021

State Culture Minister Jyoti Prakash Panigrahi and MSME Minister Captain Dibya Shankar Mishra, who graced the function as chief guest and guest of honour respectively, presented awards to the winners.

  ( Kumkum Mohanty & Anant Mahapatra (L to R)receivedKabi Samrat Upendra Bhanja Samman)

Mahapatra has written, directed, and acted in over 100 plays. He is credited to have written the screenplay and directed ‘Mamu’, the first feature-length film on Doordarshan in India, in both Hindi and Odia languages. He also set up the Utkal Rangamanch Trust to give a fillip to theatre in the State after a majority of theatre companies closed down in the 70s.

Mohanty, who is widely recognised for her flawless ‘abhinaya’, is a recipient of Central Sangeet Natak Akademi award, State Sangeet Natak Akademi award and the prestigious civilian award Padma Shri.

The newly introduced Sunanda Samman, instituted in memory of Padma Shri Sunanda Patnaik for Hindustani Classical Music, was given to Dr. Raghunath Sahu and Bandita Ray for the year 2019 and 2020, respectively.

Binod Kumar Pashayat was given Sharada Geeti Kavita Samman for the year 20219 while Dr. Alekh Chandra Padhiary got the award for 2020.

The Kabi Samrat Upendra Bhanja Samman winners got cash awards of Rs 5 lakh each, besides citation and shawl; while the winners of Sunanda Samman and Sharada Geeti Kavita Samman have given Rs 2.5 lakh each besides shawl and citation.

The Akademi also presented awards in 16 categories each including acting, playwright, theatre art, direction for the years 2019 and 2020.

List Of Awardees for 2019

Kabi Samrat Upendra Bhanja Samman: Anant Mahapatra (Acting & Direction)

Akademi Awards:

Acting (2 nos.) Nabakishore Acharya, Sakhigopal, Puri & Mamata Mohanty, Bhubaneswar
Playwright: Sudhakar Nanda, Bhadrak
Direction: Harihar Mishra, Bargarh
Theatre Art (Manchakala): Prabhas Chandra Mishra, Bhawanipatna
Folk music (Loka Sangeet): Radhashyam Sahusharma, Ganjam
Lokabadya: Shankar Pradhan, Balangir
Folk Dance (Lokanrutya): Kalucharan Sahu, Bhanjanagar, Ganjam
Folk play (Lokanatya): Karna Gouda, Koraput
Instrumental music (Anaddha Tala) for Mardala: Jagannath Kuanr, Bhubaneswar
Instrumental music (String instrument) for Violin: Kailash Patra, Cuttack
Odissi Dance: Ratikanta Mohapatra, Bhubaneswar
Odisha vocal music: Chandramani Lenka, Puri
Sunanda Samman (Hindusthani Vocal Music): Dr. Raghunath Sahu, Bhubaneswar
Sugam Sangeet: Tansen Singh, Bhubaneswar
Sarada Prasanna Samman (Gitikabita): Binod Ku Pasayat, Sambalpur

For the year 2020:

Kabi Samrat Upendra Bhanja Samman: Smt. Kumkum Mohanty, Odissi Dance

Akademi Awards:

Acting (2 nos): Sushila Nayar, Bargarh and Bijay Ku Pattnaik, Gangpur, Ganjam
Playwright (Natyarachana): Bhaskar Ch Mohapatra, Rourkela
Direction: Subodh Pattnaik, Bhubaneswar
Stage art (Manchakala): Prabhat Maharana, Bhubaneswar
Folk music (Loka Sangeet): Navin Kanhar, Balangir
Lokabadya: Kishore Ch. Pradhan, Puri
Folk Dance (Lokanrutya): Narayan Maharana, Bhanjanagar, Ganjam
Lokanatya: Nirmala Ch Rout, Bhadrak
Instrumental music (Ananddha Badya) for Tabla: Sarat Ku Pani, Bhubaneswar
Instrumental music (Sushira Badya) for Flute: Nityananda Mohapatra, Kamakhyanagar, Dhenkanal
Odissi Dance: Gajendra Panda, Ganjam
Odissi Vocal music: Raghunath Mohapatra, Paralakhemundi, Gajapati
Sunanda Samman (Hindusthani Vocal music): Bandita Ray, Cuttack
Sugam Sangeet: Bibhudhendra Das, Bhubaneswar
Sarada Prasanna Samman (Gitikabita): Alekh Padhihari, Bhubaneswar