Bhubaneswar: Noted Odissi dancer Sujata Mohapatra has been selected for the coveted Sangeet Natak Akademi award 2017 for her outstanding contribution to Odissi dance. This was announced after the General Council meeting of the Akademi on June 8 at Imphal in Manipur. Apart from Sujata, Chhau Guru Janmejay Saibabu will also be receiving the coveted award.
Sujata is the disciple of legendary Guru Kelucharan Mohapatra and is married to his son and Odissi exponent Ratikant Mohapatra
Similarly Odissi dancer Janhabi Behera and folk musician (Sambalpuri) Sarbeswar Bhoi from Odisha have been chosen to receive Ustad Bismillah Khan Yuva Puraskar for being youth ambassadors of their respective forms of art.
Forty-two other artistes from across the country will receive the award on a date to be announced later, informed Akademi officials.
Other artistes who will be awarded for their contribution to the field of dance include Rama Vaidyanathan for Bharatnatyam, Shobha Koser for Kathak, Madambi Subramaniam for Kathakali, LN Oinam Ongbi Dhoni Devi for Manipuri, Deepika Reddy for Kuchipudi, Ramkrishna Talukdar for Sattriya and Ashit Desai for music.