TNI Bureau: Renowned folk artist and Padma Vibhushan awardee Teejan Bai breathed her last today. She was 70. Teejan Bai was one of the most celebrated exponents of Pandvani, the traditional storytelling art form of Chhattisgarh based on episodes from the Mahabharata.

With her powerful voice, expressive gestures, and mastery over the tambura, she took Pandvani from the villages of Chhattisgarh to national and international stages.

Over a career spanning more than five decades, she performed for audiences across India and abroad, bringing folk tradition to the mainstream.

She was honored with the country’s top civilian awards — Padma Shri in 1987, Padma Bhushan in 2003, and Padma Vibhushan in 2019. She was also a recipient of the Sangeet Natak Akademi Award and numerous other honors.