Bhubaneswar: Two from Odisha have been nominated for the prestigious Padma Shri Awards for 2024 which were announced on Thursday night on the eve of Republic Day.
Odisha’s Gopinath Swain and Bhagabat Pradhan are among the 34 others selected for the coveted honour.
Gopinath is Krishna Leela Singer from Ganjam who dedicated his life to preserve and promote the tradition.
Similarly, Bhagabat, an Exponent of Sabda Nrutya folk dance from Bargarh, who has taken the dance form beyond the temples.
A total of 34 individuals will get the honours.
Here is the list of other awardees
Parbati Baruah: India’s first female elephant mahout, who overcame stereotypes to create a space for herself in a traditionally male-dominated field
Jageshwar Yadav: Tribal welfare worker from Jashpur who dedicated his life for the upliftment of marginalized Birhor & Pahadi Korwa people
Chami Murmu: Tribal environmentalist and women empowerment champion from Seraikela Kharsawan
Gurvinder Singh: Divyang social worker from Sirsa who worked for betterment of the homeless, destitute, women, orphans and divyangjan.
Sathyanarayana Beleri: Rice farmer from Kasaragod, who evolved into a guardian of paddy crop by preserving over 650 traditional rice varieties.
Sangthankima: Social worker from Aizawl who has been running Mizoram’s largest orphanage ‘Thutak Nunpuitu Team’.
Hemchand Manjhi: A traditional medicinal practitioner from Narayanpur, providing affordable healthcare to villagers for over 5 decades, having started serving the needy since the age of 15.
Dukhu Majhi: Tribal environmentalist from Sindri village, Purulia.
K Chellammal: Organic Farmer from South Andaman, successfully developed a 10 acre organic farm.
Yanung Jamoh Lego: East Siang based herbal medicine expert who has provided medical care to over 10,000 patients, educated 1 lakh individuals on medicinal herbs and trained SHGs in their use.
Somanna: Tribal welfare worker from Mysuru, tirelessly working for upliftment of Jenu Kuruba tribe for over 4 decades.
Sarbeswar Basumatary: Tribal farmer from Chirang who successfully adopted mixed integrated farming approach and cultivated varieties of crops like coconuts, oranges, paddy, litchis and maize.
Prema Dhanraj: Plastic (reconstructive) surgeon & social worker, dedicated to the care and rehabilitation of burn victims – her legacy extending beyond surgery, championing burn prevention, awareness and policy reform.
Uday Vishwanath Deshpande: International Mallakhamb coach, who worked relentlessly in reviving, revitalizing and popularizing the sport at global level.
Yazdi Maneksha Italia: Renowned microbiologist who pioneered the development of India’s inaugural Sickle Cell Anemia Control Program (SCACP).
Shanti Devi Paswan & Shivan Paswan: Husband-wife from Dusadh community, who overcame social stigma to become globally recognized Godna painters – exhibiting artwork in countries like USA, Japan and Hong Kong and training over 20,000 women.
Ratan Kahar: Renowned Bhadu folk singer from Birbhum, has devoted over 60 years to folk music.
Ashok Kumar Biswas: Prolific Tikuli painter credited for revival and modification of the Mauryan era artform through his efforts over the last 5 decades.
Balakrishnan Sadanam Puthiya Veetil: Distinguished Kalluvazhi Kathakali Dancer with a career spanning over 60 years – earning global acclaim and promoting a deeper understanding of Indian traditions.
Uma Maheshwari D: First female Harikatha Exponent, has showcased her skill in Sanskrit recitation.
Smriti Rekha Chakma: Chakma Loinloom Shawl Weaver from Tripura, who transforms eco-friendly vegetables dyed cotton threads into traditional designs, promoting the use of natural dyes.
Omprakash Sharma: Mach Theatre Artist who has devoted 7 decades of his life to promote this 200-year-old traditional dance drama of the Malwa region.
Narayanan EP: Veteran Theyyam Folk Dancer from Kannur – mastery extending beyond dance to the entire Theyyam ecosystem including costume designing & face painting techniques.
Sanatan Rudra Pal: Distinguished sculptor with over 5 decades of experience, preserving and promoting the traditional art form – specializes in crafting Sabeki Durga idols.
Badrappan M: Exponent of Valli Oyil Kummi Folk Dance from Coimbatore – a mixed form of song and dance performance which depicts the stories of deities ‘Muruggan’ and ‘Valli’.
Jordan Lepcha: Bamboo Craftsman from Mangan, who is nurturing the cultural heritage of Lepcha tribe.
Machihan Sasa: Longpi potter from Ukhrul who dedicated 5 decades to preserve this ancient Manipuri traditional pottery which traces its roots back to the Neolithic period (10,000 BC).
Gaddam Sammaiah: Eminent Chindu Yakshaganam theatre artist from Jangaon, performing this rich heritage art form for over 5 decades over 19,000 shows.
Jankilal: Behrupiya artist from Bhilwara, mastering the fading art form and captivating global audiences for over 6 decades.
Dasari Kondappa: Third generation Burra Veena player from Damaragidda village in Narayanpet, has dedicated his life to preserving the artform.
Babu Ram Yadav: Brass Marori craftsperson with over 6 decades experience in creating intricate brass artifacts using traditional crafting techniques
