Kavita, Dipti Naval among Sampurna awardees

Litterateur Nabanita Deb Sen, artiste Shanu Lahiri and social worker Dr Sudha Kaul were the other `Sampurna` awardees picked up by a distinguished panel headed by percussionist Tanmoy Bose.

"I have picked up the personalities from their immense contributions in the spheres of art, culture and sports, we will make it bigger next time," said Bose about the selecting the seven for the award instituted by a cultural organisation Celebrations International and Asha Audio.

"(I am) Feeling so humbled for being bestowed the honour. I feel flattered. This is a recognition of my talent from the people of Bengal," Naval told PTI.

Krishnamurti said "it is a wonderful feeling to be called Sampurna in this land, which means totality."

Jhulan, who has made the state and country proud in the game of cricket, said "I should not say anything before such luminaries... but feel proud to be chosen."

Eminent danseuse Priti Patel, later participated in `Sampurna`, a medley of fashion, dance and music revisiting the Mahabharata, along with Tollywood actors Arpita Pal, June Maliah and Locket Chatterjee.

Patel said the concept of the award which celebrated the liberated, beautiful and strong women in contemporary period and the dance performance which drew reference from the mentally strong women of the epic, gelled with each other.

Bose said: "In the show, I have sought to bridge the epic distance of time and space separating them. Instead of making the characters strut on a ramp, we have blended the traditional and contemporary through dance and set."

Eminent painter Sanatan Dinda, who had prepared the set highlighted by the wheel of a chariot, said while initially he was edgy after Bose asked him, the very concept of celebrating and felicitating women power across ages egged him on to try something novel.

Director Goutam Ghosh, who was also present on the occasion last Sunday, `Sampurna` manifests the concept of women as the real power. A spokesman from Asha Audio said next year the criterion will be more elaborate.