Bhubaneswar, Feb 11: Guru Debaprasad Award 2020 will be conferred on three legendary dance gurus—Aruna Mohanty of Odisha for Odissi, Ghanakanta Bora of Assam for Sattriya and Gopika Varma of Chennai for Mohiniyattam—during the 14th Guru Debaprasad Award Festival to be held from February 13 to 15 at Rabindra Mandap here.
This was announced by Odissi guru and director of Tridhara— the organisation hosting the mega festival— Gajendra Kumar Panda at a press conference at a private hotel here, Thursday.
According to Panda, the award carries a memento, ‘angabastra’ and cash prize of Rs 50,000. The award is recognition to the achievements and relentless efforts of these masters in the field of dance.
This apart, Guru Debaprasad Prativa Award 2020 will be conferred on Manoj Kumar Behera of Balasore, Prativa Panda of Bhubaneswar, Binod Chandra Sahu of Kandhamal and Palomi Mandal of Kolkata. The lifetime achievement award will be given to Bhajan Samrat Padmashree Pandit Anup Jalota, Panda said.
The inaugural occasion will witness a host of events including Odissi dance drama ‘Sankhipta Ramayan’ by Tridhara and bhajan as well as ghazal by Anup Jalota, Panda pointed out.