Assam Celebrates One Padma Bhushan, 4 Padma Shri In Art, Literature And Culture

Among the four who have been chosen for the Padma Shri award from the state are Joynacharan Bathari (Art), Reba Kanta Mahanta (Art), Anil Kumar Boro(Literature and Education) and Gita

Assam got five Padma Awards – one Padma Bhushan, the third highest civilian award, and four Padma Shri awards this Republic Day.

Centre announced 139 Padma awardees yesterday on the eve of 76th Republic Day.

The awardees from Assam are – Sattriya dance maestro Jatin Goswami who was named for Padma Bhushan.

A former recipient of Padma Shri and Sangeet Natak Akademi awards, Goswami was trained in the classical Sattriya dance form, a core component of the Viashnavite culture of the state.

He has also trained in folk dance forms and ‘Ankia Naat’, a traditional one-act play created by the Vaishnavite saint Srimanta Sankardeva.

The 92-year-old Goswami has travelled widely and performed ‘Ankia Naat’, Sattriya and other traditional dance forms in different parts of the country and abroad.

Among the four who have been chosen for the Padma Shri award from the state are Joynacharan Bathari (Art), Reba Kanta Mahanta (Art), Anil Kumar Boro(Literature and Education) and Gita Upadhyay (Literature and Education).

Joynacharan Bathari has been awarded the Padma Shri for his contribution to Dimasa folk traditions. He is known as the flagbearer of the art form of the Dimasa community. Over the past six decades, he popularised the art form across the country through his performances.

Proficient in playing ‘khram’ and ‘muri’ and having given new dimension to Dimasa dances, Bathari has also authored two books on folk tales ‘The Monkey and the Tortoise’ and ‘Tale of an Elderly Dimasa Couple’.

Literaturer and Sahitya Akademi awardee Gita Upadhyay is the other Padma Shri awardees from Assam.
Gita Upadhyay is an acclaimed author and grandchild of freedom fighter and founder President of Assam Pradesh Congress Committee, Chabilal Upadhyay. She is respected for her literary works and is an influential social worker. She is also the founder President of Bharatiya Gorkha Parisangh in Assam.

Reba Kanta Mahanta was named for the Padma Shri award for his contribution to traditional mask-making, who has helped to ensure that this rich legacy of Mahapurush Srimanta Sankardev continues to thrive.

The 89-year-old native of Sivasagar district was presented with the Sangeet Natak Akademi award in 2014.

Anil Kumar Boro is the fourth recipient of Padma Shri from Assam. He has been associated with the Department of Folklore Studies of Gauhati University. Boro’s scholarship over the years has enriched the world’s perspective on the vibrant culture of our Bodo community.

Taking to X, Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma said, “On behalf of the people of Assam, I congratulate Shri Jatin Goswami dangariya for being awarded the Padma Bhushan and Shri Anil Kumar Boro, Smt. Gita Upadhyay, Shri Joynacharan Bathari & Shri Reba Kanta Mahanta for being conferred with Padma Shri.”

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