Veteran Odia actress Manimala Devi dies

Bhubaneswar, Jun 16 () Noted theatre personality and popular yesteryear

Odia

film actress

Manimala Devi

passed away at a private hospital here today. She was 90. Manimala was admitted to the hospital for treatment of her old age-related complications. She was suffering from chest congestion before her death, the actor's son

Shankar Ghosh

said. Besides Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik and a host of ministers, a large number of people paid their tribute to the veteran artiste. "Her demise is a great loss for the cultural fraternity of Odisha," Patnaik said in a condolence message.

Odisha Pradesh Congress Committee

(

OPCC

) president

Prasad Harichandan

and BJP state president

Basant Panda

also condoled Manimal's demise. Manimala, who was among the first generation artistes in the state, had worked in over 40 films of which 14 bagged the national award. Her film career began in 1960 with the classic Odia film- 'Sri Loknath'. Her national award winning films included- Laxmi in 1962, Surjya

Mukhi

and

Jeevan Sathi

in 1963, Abhinetri and

Malajanha

in 1965. Two of her films directed by eminent director

Nirod Mohapatra

, also bagged the Rashtrapati Award for second best national level film (1983). Besides, she has also worked in over 100 playes during a career spanning over half-a-century.

Manimala

was conferred with the prestigious '

Jayadev Purashkar

'- the state's highest cine award – in the year 2000. AAM PR DBS