Bhubaneswar, March 10: Noted singer Rakahal Mohanty and lyricist Sachhi Das have been chosen for Upendra Bhanj Samman for the years 2014 and 2015 respectively which was announced by the Odisha Sangeet Natak Akademi here on Wednesday.
The General council of the Akademi met on Wednesday to announce the selection of 32 eminent artistes for their contribution to the field of performing arts.
Guru Purushottam Parida was chosen for his contribution to Odishi vocal music for 2014, and Lata Ghosh for 2015.
The Akademi award for Hindustani vocal music for 2014 went to Prasad Kumar Rath and Chitta Ranjan Mishra (2015).
Mohan Swain and Pranbandhu Swain were awarded for string musical instrument for 2014 and 2015 respectively while Sachhidananda Das and Giridhari Mohanty were awarded in the percussion category for 2014 and 2015 respectively, an Akademi release here said.
Narayan Sahoo bagged the award for script writing for 2014 while Sankar Tripathy was chosen for 2015, the release said.
In the light music category Swarupa Chakraborty and Laxmikant Palit were awarded for 2014 and 2015 respectively.
Dinabandhu Nayak bagged the award for direction for 2014 while Dhira Basa was chosen for the award for 2015, it said.
The other winners of the award for the two years were Subash Chandra Mallick and Alekh Sahoo ( Folk Instruments), Motilal Dora and Hadibandhu Sahoo (Folk Music), Manideepa Mallick, Jagadanand Chhuria Soudamini Pati and Sudam Bisoyi ( Acting), Lala Biren Prasad Ray and Batakrushna Swain ( Stage Craft), Aruna Mohanty and Nabakishore Mishra ( Odishi Dance), Maheswar Saraf and Santosh Kumar Padhi ( Folk Dance) Narayan Chandra Ray Mohapatra and Khageshwar Pradhan( Folk Drama) and Alekh Chandra Biswal and Shirsanand Kanungo for (Ballad), the release added.
