TNI Bureau: Five eminent artistes from Odisha were conferred the prestigious Sangeet Natak Akademi Amrit Award by President Droupadi Murmu on Thursday.

While Odissi dancer Rabindra Atibudhi and Chhau dancer Trilochan Mohanta received the award for the year 2020, singer Susmita Das was awarded for Sugam Sangeet, Bijay Kumar Jena got the award for dance and Manoj Pattnaik for theatre direction for the year 2021.

The President of India, Droupadi Murmu presented the Sangeet Natak Akademi’s Fellowships (Akademi Ratna) and Sangeet Natak Akademi Awards (Akademi Puruskar) for the year 2019, 2020 and 2021 in New Delhi.

A total of 128 artists from the field of music, dance, theatre, traditional, folk and puppetry were given the Awards and fellowships.

The Akademi’s fellowship (Akademi Ratna) carries a purse money of Rs. 3,00,000/- (Rupees Three Lakhs only) and Akademi Awards (Akademi Puraskar) carry a purse money of Rs. 1,00,000 (Rupees One Lakh only). The award also carries a Tamrapatra and Angavastram.