Bhubaneswar: President Draupadi Murmu on Thursday honoured two eminent Odia artists by bestowing them with the Padma Shri award, the nation’s fourth highest civilian award, at a function held in the Darbar Hall of the Rashtrapati Bhawan in the presence of Prime Minister Narendra Modi and other dignitaries.
The President awarded Padma Shri to ‘pattachitra’ artist Binod Maharana and eminent folk dancer Bhagwat Pradhan for their outstanding contributions to their respective arts.
The 85-year-old Bhagwat Pradhan of Bargarh district has been performing and promoting this art for five decades. During his lifetime he taught this art to more than 600 disciples. Similarly, Khurda’s Binod Maharana is widely recognised for his great fine art and traditional ‘Patta painting’. Maharana has also been preparing the next generation of artists by providing them training in palm leaf carving and Patta painting, shared the President in her post on social media.
