Odisha’s Padma winners: Linguist, Santali writer, artiste & master weaver

BHUBANESWAR: Four eminent yet unsung contributors to Odisha’s rich linguistic, tribal and artistic heritage were selected for this year’s Padma Shri awards. The honours were announced by the ministry of home affairs on the eve of Republic Day.Renowned linguist Mahendra Kumar Mishra, Santali writer and cultural activist Charan Hembram, Prahallad Natak exponent Guru Simanchal Patro, and master weaver Sarat Kumar Patra will be conferred with the award for their outstanding contributions. While Hembram and Mishra were recognised in the field of literature and education, Simanchal and Sarat will receive the honour in the arts category. A pioneer of multilingual education in Odisha, 73-year-old Mahendra of Bhubaneswar introduced mother-tongue-based learning for primary grades during his tenure as the state coordinator for multilingual education from 1996 to 2010. A scholar, writer, and folklorist, Mishra documented over 32 languages and folk traditions from Odisha and other states. He is a recipient of several honours, including the Odisha Sahitya Akademi Award and the UNESCO International Mother Language Award (2023).Expressing gratitude for the recognition, Mishra said he devoted the last four decades to researching and documenting Adivasi languages, culture and heritage. “This award is dedicated to the rich tribal culture of our state,” he said.Hembram (74) of Nungan village in Mayurbhanj district spent more than four decades promoting the Ol Chiki script of the Santali language. A Santali writer as well as a practitioner of Santali dance and music, Hembram played a key role in establishing Ol Itun Asra (learning centres) across Mayurbhanj and other districts. He also served as secretary of the govt board for Santali education for nearly 12 years. Hembram was instrumental in introducing Santali in the school curriculum and translated portions of the Ramayana and Mahabharata into Santali for tribal youth. Expressing happiness over the honour, he said his lifelong dedication to the Santali language was finally recognised.Guru Patro (98) of Bamakei village in Ganjam district is a legendary exponent of Prahallad Natak, a traditional folk theatre form of Odisha. For more than six decades, he trained young artistes and established several akhadas across Ganjam to promote the art form. Many of his disciples went on to become gurus themselves. Elated at receiving the Padma Shri, Patro said the honour would inspire more youngsters to take interest in the traditional folk art.Master weaver Sarat Kumar (61) of Tigiria in Nuapatna is renowned for his intricate Bandha Kala weaves, particularly the Geeta Govinda and Dasavataar motifs. With over five decades of experience in weaving, he had earlier received the National Award for his single-thread Geeta Govinda weave, a masterpiece that took him seven years to complete. Thanking the state and central govts, Patra said the recognition was a tribute to the timeless craft of Odisha’s handloom tradition.(With inputs from Hrusikesh Mohanty in Berhampur)