Bhubaneswar: On the eve of the 77th Republic Day celebrations, the Union government on Sunday announced the coveted Padma Awards for 2026. Among the awardees, four eminent personalities from Odisha have been conferred the Padma Shri, marking a moment of great pride for the state.
According to the official notification released by the Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA) on Sunday, prominent Santali author and composer Charan Hembram, eminent linguist and folklorist Mahendra Kumar Mishra, and noted artists Seemanchal Patro and Sarat Kumar Patra will receive the country’s fourth-highest civilian award.
As per reports, Hembram, who hails from Odisha’s Mayurbhanj district, aims to bring legitimacy to the Santali language and popularise its art and cultural heritage.
He has founded multiple institutions aimed at expanding access to tribal cultural education. For more than three decades, he has championed the preservation of indigenous dance traditions, particularly by empowering women to carry them forward.
Meanwhile, eminent folklorist Mishra has dedicated his life to recording and preserving the voices of Odisha’s tribal communities.
He has documented their myths, epics, proverbs, and songs, and has authored around 30 books on Odia and tribal folklore. His work has helped the state government introduce multilingual education in several tribal languages.
Seemanchal Patro of Ganjam district is a celebrated folk theatre actor with over 80 years of experience. He was initiated into the art form at an early age. His performances of Prahlad Natak call for expertise in over 300 compositions across 35 Odissi ragas. Deeply committed to the tradition, he even sold a significant part of his personal property to nurture its growth.
Sarat Kumar Patra of the Tigiria area in Cuttack district is a pioneering Ikat weaver and innovator. He has created more than 50 natural dye shades and revived traditional natural dyeing processes. He has also mentored over a hundred young, underprivileged weavers.
Odisha Chief Minister Mohan Charan Majhi congratulated all the eminent personalities for getting selected for this coveted award.
“The nomination of Charan Hembram and Mahendra Kumar Mishra from Odisha in the field of literature and education, and Sharat Kumar Patra and Seemanchal Patra in the field of art, for the Padma Shri Award for the year 2026 is a matter of immense pride and honour for the entire state. I extend my heartfelt congratulations and warm wishes to all of you. This achievement of yours has given Odisha’s art and culture a new identity at the national level. I pray to Lord Jagannath for your bright future and continued progress,” Majhi wrote on his X handle.
(IANS)
