Recognition for Odia Veterans: Decorated With Padma Shri 

Recognition for Odia Veterans: Decorated With Padma Shri 

The Ministry of Home Affairs announced the names of 106 personalities from different fields who will be conferred with Padma awards by the President of India. One of India’s highest civilian awards, the Padma Award– is conferred in three categories, namely, Padma Vibhushan, Padma Bhushan, and Padma Shri. The selection of these awards is in various disciplines/ fields of activities, viz.- art, social work, public affairs, science and engineering, trade and industry, medicine, literature and education, sports, civil service, etc. ‘Padma Vibhushan’ is awarded for exceptional and distinguished service; ‘Padma Bhushan’ for distinguished service of high order and ‘Padma Shri’ for distinguished service in any field. The awards are announced on the occasion of Republic Day every year.

The Padma awards are conferred by the President of India at ceremonial functions which are held at Rashtrapati Bhawan usually around the month of March/ April every year. For the year 2023, President Droupadi Murmu has approved the conferment of 106 Padma Awards. The awardees list comprises 6 Padma Vibhushan, 9 Padma Bhushan, and 91 Padma Shri awards. 19 of the awardees are women and the list also includes 2 persons from the category of Foreigners/ NRI/ PIO/ OCI and 7 Posthumous awardees.

Amongst the list are four Odia personalities who have been selected to be decorated with the Padma Shri award for incredible work in their respective fields. My City Links was honoured to have gotten the opportunity to speak with the four personages on this conferment.

Eminent Artist and Puppeteer Magunicharan Kuanr (Art)

Belonging to a family of traditional puppeteers, Magunicharan Kuanr was initiated into the art of Kandhei Nacha (puppet dance), which employs rod puppets, by his father Baishnab Charan Kuanr. Magunicharan is a cult figure among puppeteers as the pioneer of the highly-stylized rod puppetry tradition of Odisha, locally known as Kathi-Kandhei Nacha.

Talking about the stories and plots he deals with in his presentations, he said, “Most of my puppet shows are based on mythological snippets from the Ramayana and the Mahabharata. I have birthed 20 plays by incorporating nearly 300 characters through my puppets. I have also designed and staged plays for the government on subjects based on social issues like family planning, which are primarily for public awareness programmes.”

“Puppetry is a dying art tradition and witnessing that is very hurtful dying.. Both the rural and urban populations as well as the people belonging to various generations love watching our performances. I was invited to stage a show at IIT, Mumbai and it was overwhelming to see the young people there thoroughly enjoyed our show. However, with a very heavy heart I have come to the realisation that like many other attractive art forms of our country, puppetry is not getting the patronage and recognition that it deserves. As a consequence, it is rapidly getting marginalised. The government and people should come forward for it to survive,” he added with a sigh.

Besides, he is the recipient of the Central Sangeet Natak Akademi Award, the highest honour for performing arts in India. The Odisha government has also bestowed him with the State’s highest honour for performing arts- Kabi Samrat Upendra Bhanja Samman- which is given by the Odisha Sangeet Natak Akademi for his contribution to the traditional puppetry of Odisha.

On knowing that he has been selected to be conferred with the Padma Shri, Magunicharan shared his feelings. “I am undoubtedly happy. Though late, it has come when I am alive. That’s a boon. This is indeed an honour for me and it is all because of the people and my audience who supported me and encouraged me to pursue my art and take it to newer heights,” he said.

Noted Litterateur Dr. Antaryami Mishra (Literature and Education)

A reputed columnist and researcher, Dr. Antaryami Mishra has been contributing to the study and research of Odia language, grammar, culture and history for over five decades. He has also made immense contributions to essay and book writing in the vernacular language and Jagannath culture. 

“My research and books have always been aimed towards making the new generation aware of the Odia language and Jagannath culture. Research and publications are in abundance if you take Odia literature into the picture. But when it comes to the Odia language, it is very rare. Every Odia youth should know about his language and Lord Jagannath,” said the Dhenkanal-based writer.

His books are so informative and educational that many of them are a part of the school curriculum today in the state. He strongly feels that the education system should prioritise the use of the Odia language in the foundational learning of students. Having already authored around 30 books in the literary fields so far, he was conferred the President’s Award for his contribution to research in classical Odia language and book writing in 2019. Some of the prominent books he has authored are ‘Purushottam Jagannath’,  ‘Darubrahma Nkara Nabakalebara’, ‘Prachin Odisha’, ‘Odia Bhasara Itihaas’, ‘Moulika Odia Bhasatatwa’, ‘Odia Bhasa, Jati O Jatiyata’ and ‘Odia- Eka Sastriya Bhasa’. 

His book ‘Odia- Eka Sastriya Bhasa’ is an exhaustive documentation of historical studies, growth, and development of the classical status of the Odia language, released in 2013, just a year before Odia was accorded a classical language status by the central government. The book also fetched him the President’s Certificate of Honour in 2019. And he continues to be the first and the only Odia scholar and linguist to have been conferred with the honour. He has recently completed another book on Jagannath culture titled ‘Sri Jagannatha Sasthami’. Among the several awards, he had earlier received the D.Litt from North Odisha University as well.

Dedicating the award to the Odia society and its rich culture, he feels it is the blessing of Lord Jagannath. The Odia society, he said, is recognized by two things – Lord Jagannath and the Odia language. “I have been working on these two subjects for the last 54 years. It is his blessing that I have been chosen for the Padma Shri. I never worked with the aim to win the President’s Certificate or the Padma Shri. I will continue to travel the length and breadth of the country to collect records and other information related to the Odia language, till my health permits,” said the differently-abled (locomotor disability) writer.

Popular Folk Singer Dr. Krishna Patel (Art)

Dr. Krishna Patel is the voice behind the much-acclaimed Sambalpuri song ‘Rangabati Rangabati’ along with singer Jitendra Haripal. It has become an Odia cult song. With this conferment of the Padma award, Odisha’s popular folk song, Rangabati Rangabati, now became the first Indian song that received three Padma awards in a span of six years. In 2017, the Centre first chose Mitrabhanu Gountia, the lyricist of the song, for Padma Shri. Three years later, Jitendra Haripal, a Dalit singer and male vocalist of the song, was awarded Padma Shri.

“Though it came a little late, I am very happy. I never expected that one song could give me my identity and Padma Shri award as well. All my hard work has finally borne fruit. The award will encourage more and more people to write and compose such folk songs,” said Patel, who recorded the song at the age of 18.

Speaking about this popular track which has garnered several remakes even in Bollywood, she shared, “It is a beautiful song and everything about the song like lyrics, music, and tuning is perfect. That’s why it is so popular. The All India Radio (AIR), Sambalpur, should be given the credit for its huge success. The song was first aired in 1976 and then it was recorded by a renowned company in Calcutta. The recording added to its popularity both in India and abroad.

Agriculturist Patayat Sahu (Agriculture)

Patayat Sahu is a resident of the Kalahandi district of Odisha in a village named Nandol. An agriculturist by profession and passion, he has grown medicinal plants on 1.5 acres of land behind his house. He has been doing this work for over four decades now. He insists on organic farming and never uses chemical fertiliser in his plant. The garden boasts a wide range of 3,000 medicinal plants. Patayat does farming during the day and becomes a Vaidya (traditional healer)at night treating people with the help of his medicinal plants. He was praised by Prime Minister Narendra Modi in his ‘Mann Ki Baat’ radio show for his medicinal plant garden.

Patayat Sahu does not demand money from anyone for curing diseases of people. Out of the 3000 plants in Patayat Sahu’s farm, he has collected 500 from different places in India. All other plants have been collected from the forests of Kalahandi. There are many such medicinal plants in his garden that are not found anywhere else.

He shared that he has been using organic manure for this purpose and has even documented the plants that he has grown. He has catalogued his plants in two illustrated volumes but has not been able to publish them due to a financial crunch. “I started learning about traditional medicine as a hobby and started working in the medicinal garden 40 years ago and added new species with time. My grandfather was a Vaidya. After completing my education, I learned traditional healing practices from him,” he added.

“I am very happy to receive the Padma award at this age. I am happy and content that my efforts to popularise medicinal and herbal plants are recognized and highlighted. I have developed my garden without the intervention of chemicals and fertilisers,” he shared.

His garden boasts rare species of plants like Ashoka, Lodhra, Bidanga, Sambarsingha, Rasnajadi, Tihudi, Bhin Kakharu, Maeda, Sarpagandha, and Shatavari. To add to this astonishing plants are the varieties of Bhringraj, Pengu, Panikusuma, Rajapatha, Nagavel, Debanasan, Jaladimbiri, and Jyotismati. He has also grown all the Dasamoola species that are used in many Ayurvedic medicines.