Bhubaneswar: After a weeklong celebration of dance and music of the highest calibre, the 30th Guru Kelucharan Mohapatra (GKCM) Award Festival 2024, organised by SrjanGuru Kelucharan Mohapatra Odissi Nrityabasa, concluded here at Rabindra Mandap, Wednesday.
The last evening commenced with the award ceremony, followed by the much-awaited finale by the Srjan ensemble led by Guru Ratikant Mohapatra. The awards were presented to four iconic figures of the state. The Shalimar Guru Kelucharan Mohapatra Awards 2024, carrying an allocation of Rs. 1,00,000/- and a citation, were presented to Kumkum Lal for her contributions to Odissi dance, Guru Lakshmikanta Palit and Guru Dhaneswar Swain for their lifetime achievements in the fields of music and percussion, respectively, and to veteran actor Uttam Mohanty (received by his wife actress Aparajita Mohanty) for his outstanding contributions to Odia cinema.
Additionally, Shalimar’s Guru Kelucharan Mohapatra Yuva Prativa Samman awards, with a cash prize of Rs. 25,000/- and a citation, were presented to four exceptionally talented performing artistes under the age of 40 years. Pompi Paul and Rajnita Mehra received the same for Odissi dance, while Avijit Das was honoured for his dedication to Kuchipudi and Rohita Pradhan to Odissi music (Mardala). Following the award ceremony, Guru Ratikant Mohapatra’s famed Srjan ensemble presented the dance ballet Tantra. Through this spectacular narrative, Guru Mohapatra ventured beyond traditional Odissi, using dance, music, and innovation to express the essence of the profound and timeless subject of Tantra, invoking the divine feminine for the betterment of society and humankind. Renowned Bharatanatyam exponent and Guru Sandhya Purecha, also the Chairperson, Sangeet Natak Akademi, and eminent actress Mahasweta Ray, were among the dignitaries who graced the occasion.