Four Odias are conferred for Padma Shree

On this occasion of Republic Day, The President Smt Droupadi Murmu conferred 106 Padma Award. Among them, Four Odias are conferred for Padma Shri Award in the field of Art, Agriculture and literature & education respectively.

These Awards are conferred by the President of India at ceremonial functions which are held at Rashtrapati Bhawan usually around March/ April every year. For this year 2023, the conferred awardee Mrs Krishna Patel (Art), Maguni Charan Kuanr (Art), Patayat Sahu (Agriculture) and Antaryami Mishra (Literature & Education) will receive Padma Shri Award from the President of India Smt Droupadi Murmu at Rashtrapati Bhawan.

About the Four Odias:

Mrs Krishna Patel (Art), the co singer of  the iconic sambalpuri song “Rangabati” born on November 28, 1957. Octogenarian Dr. Krishna Patel is widely known as a good singer. She is a recognised voice and television artiste and an active member of the Sambalpur Art Council. She has sung in more than 500 songs so far. Earlier, “Rangabati” lyricist Mitrabhaanu Gountia and singer Jitendraya Haripal have been honored with Padma Shri for the “Rangabati” song.

Maguni Charan Kuanr (Art), a traditional puppeteer born in 1937 in Keonjhar in Odisha. He is coming from a family of traditional puppeteers. His father Baishnab Charan Kuanr initiated young Maguni into the art of Kandhei Nach, which employs rod puppets. Maguni also learned sculpture in clay, stone, and wood from Bhagaban Jena, a traditional sculptor. He has excelled in his vocation as a puppeteer and has contributed to the recognition of Kandhei Nach beyond Odisha and, later, established his own troupe, the Utkal Vishwakarma Kalakunja Kandhei Nach, based in Keonjhar.

Patayat Sahu (Agriculture), a farmer by day and an Ayurveda practitioner by night, is a resident of Nandol village in Kalahandi district. He has developed the garden without the intervention of chemicals and fertilisers. The 65-year-old has planted more than 3000 medicinal plants and developed the garden without the intervention of chemicals and fertilisers in area 1.5 acres of land in his backyard. Sahu said that he 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 (traditional healer). After completing my education, I learned traditional healing practices from him. Besides, I got access to many manuscripts on traditional healing practices and medicinal plants”, he said. He prepares medicines from plants and herbs and helps in treating people without asking for anything in return. Prime Minister Narendra Modi, in the 81st episode of his monthly radio programme ‘Mann Ki Baat’, praised Sahu for his contribution to developing natural healthcare products.

Dr. Antaryami Mishra (Literature & Education), a reputed columnist and researcher, has been contributing to the study and research in Odia language, grammar, culture and history for the last 50 years. Dr Antaryami Mishra has already authored around 30 books in these literary fields so far. He was conferred President’s Award for his contribution to research in classical Odia language and book writing in 2019. He is the first person from Odisha to have received the award as an Odia linguist. Dr Mishra was also conferred with the Nabagunjara Samman on October 1, 2022.