Guwahati, June 12: Eminent classical dancer Sonal Mansingh has been conferred with the Srimanta Sankardeva Award for 2023 by Assam Governor Lakshman Prasad Acharya.
The award was instituted by the Assam government in 1986.
In a message, President Droupadi Murmu said
Mansingh was an inspiration for the people of the country who faced many challenges but with grit and determination, she overcame that and has made immense contributions to the cultural world.
The Vaishnav saint and social reformer Srimanta Sankardeva had spread the message of unity and equality among all sections to strengthen society, the President said.
Murmu was scheduled to confer the award on Mansingh on April 25 but her visit was postponed following the terror attack in Pahalgam. She was again scheduled to arrive here on a day-long visit on Wednesday to confer the award but her visit was cancelled due to ”personal reasons”.
The governor said that the award to Mansingh was in recognition of her lifelong dedication to Indian classical dance, cultural advocacy, and social reform.
“This award is not just a tribute to her as a person, but a recognition of her relentless service in upholding and modernising the spirit of Indian heritage,” he added.
Acharya also paid rich tributes to Srimanta Sankardeva, describing him as a spiritual luminary and cultural reformer who transcended regional boundaries to become a national symbol of unity, harmony, and inclusiveness.
Speaking on the occasion, Mansingh said that she is grateful to the Assam government for honouring her with this award and this has been possible due to ”Ma Kamakhya’s blessings and love of the people of the state”.
She said that Bharat Ratna Dr Bhupen Hazarika as the Chairman of Sangeet Natak Akademi had asked her to ascertain whether the Sattriya dance, originated from the Vaishnavite monasteries known as Sattras in Assam, can be declared a classical dance form.
”I along with some others conducted considerable research and we came to the conclusion that it should be the eighth classical dance form of the country,” the 81-year-old Padma Vibhushan awardee said.
The dance form is now performed all over the country as well as abroad and is globally famed, said the she added.
Mansingh said that she has earlier presented an entire production on Sankardeva’s spiritual philosophy, literary and cultural works and ”I am planning to introduce more ‘Borgeets’ (songs composed by him) in the repertory of Bharat Natyam and Odissi”.
She was presented with an Angavastram, a gold medallion, the traditional Assamese bell-metal ‘Xorai’ (a tray), a citation and a cheque of Rs five lakh.
Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma said on the occasion that for decades, the dancer dedicated herself to taking forward India’s classical dance forms and keeping them alive in contemporary times.
“It is only fitting that she has been conferred with the Srimanta Sankaradeva Award in recognition of her contributions,” he said.
”Culture formed the bedrock of Gurujona’s (as Sankardeva is addressed reverently) teachings and his timeless creation of Sattriya is a testament to it. As the philosophies align, we are proud to present the Srimanta Sankaradeva Award 2023 to the veteran dance exponent,” Sarma said.
Union Minister Sarbananda Sonowal, who hails from Assam, described Mansingh as a guardian of Indian classical traditions who has equally honoured her social responsibilities with her art.
“To honour her with this award is to affirm the values of the great saint in our contemporary cultural landscape,” he said.
Mansingh used Bharat Natyam and Odissi dance forms to raise issues of women empowerment, social justice and environment sustainability and she has inspired several generations through her work and art form, he said. (PTI)
