Meet Padma Shri awardees from NorthEast

On the occasion of Republic Day celebrations, twelve distinguished individuals from the Northeast have been conferred the Padma Shri award this year. 

According to a press release from the Ministry of Home Affairs, the awardees are:-

1. Hemoprava Chutia from Assam

Sometimes a common woman makes a difference and then she becomes an ideal for the rest. Hemoprava aaideo is one such personality,” said daughter of Rupkonwar Jyoti Prasad elegant work of art took her nearly three years to complete.Apart from weaving, Hemoprava Chutia has written three well-known holy books: Gunamala, Naam Ghosa, and Mod Bhagavad Gita Mod. She wrote the Vaishnavite scripture 'Nam Ghosa' in 2016, which Shri Madhabdev wrote in Assamese between 1568 and 1596.Hemoprava has earlier received several honours and recognition for her expertise in weaving. She has received the ‘Bakul Bon Award’, ‘Aai Kanaklata Award’ and state government’s ‘Hand-loom and textile award’ for her excellence towards weaving. Agarwala during a felicitation function at Sivasagar on August 30, 2018.Hemoprava Chutia, who is also the recipient of Assam Gaurav Award, hails from the state’s Dibrugarh district, Moran. Hemoprova aaideo, as she is fondly called weaved the Bhagavad Gita on cloth in English. The fabric crafted with the writings of the holy script was inaugurated on December 5, 2021 by Satradhikar Shri Shri Pitambar Debo Goswami in Dibrugarh.Hemoprava’s exceptional weaving skill has made her stand out of the rest and an ideal for the society for her work on fabric. Hemoprava aaideo previously wove the Bhagavad Gita on cloth, a 700-verse Hindu scripture in Sanskrit that is part of the Hindu epic Mahabharata. She completed the noble task in accordance with traditional rituals. Her fourth work is an English translation of the Bhagavad Gita on cloth. The sacred scripted cloth is approximately 280 feet long and two feet wide. This elegant work of art took her nearly three years to complete.Apart from weaving, Hemoprava Chutia has written three well-known holy books: Gunamala, Naam Ghosa, and Mod Bhagavad Gita Mod. She wrote the Vaishnavite scripture 'Nam Ghosa' in 2016, which Shri Madhabdev wrote in Assamese between 1568 and 1596.Hemoprava has earlier received several honours and recognition for her expertise in weaving. She has received the ‘Bakul Bon Award’, ‘Aai Kanaklata Award’ and state government’s ‘Hand-loom and textile award’ for her excellence towards weaving. 

2. Hem Chandra Goswami from Assam

Apart from being the first river island to be declared in 2006, Majuli has carved a niche for itself as a repository of Assamese art and culture. Many monastic centres or satras exist in the area, preserving and practising music, dance, and art.The culture of making masks in Majuli's satras (monasteries), the centre of Vaishnava culture in Assam, would be incomplete without mentioning Hem Chandra Goswami.Goswami, a native of the island's Samaguri Satra, is renowned for his skill in the area of makeup for Sattriya, the classical dancing style that saint-scholar Shri Shri Srimanta Sankardeva developed in 16th-century Assam. However, it is his contribution to mask-making that truly sets Goswami apart. Another form of art that Sankardeva introduced and Goswami accepted is the mask.Since 1984, Goswami has operated a distinctive mask-making school in Majuli. It is not the only location in Majuli where one may learn how to make masks; one can also learn about Sattriya and Borgeet, which Shri Shri Srimanta Sankardeva also spread around the island.Acclaimed nationally and internationally for making life-like masks, he has been also conferred with the Sangeet Natak Akademi Award in the year 2018. Be it the fiery Surpanakha or the fearsome Ravana, the masks with the contours, colours, hair and get-up gives chills to the viewers. Likewise, those depicting Narasimha, Hanuman and Garuda, with their finely etched features, while keeping the audience in awe, convey their personality emphatically. Such is the magic wielded by Goswami.

3. Ramkuiwangbe Jene from Assam

Also known as 'Hero of Heraka" Ramkuiwangbe Jene  is a Naga Social Worker from Dima Hasao who dedicated his life for the conservation and preservation of Heraka religion. He protected and promoted Heraka indigenous culture through awareness camps and programs. Ramkuiwangbe Jene  established 10 primary schools and encouraged education for women. he also transcripted 'Tingwang Hingde' of Heraka religion 

4. Narendra Chandra Debbarma from Tripura

Former Revenue Minister of BJP government in Tripura and late veteran tribal leader Narendra Chandra Debbarma has been posthumously awarded the Padma Shri for this year in the public affairs category.Debbarma died three weeks ago after prolonged suffering at the age of 84. An Information Service Officer turned politician had launched a democratic movement for Tipraland two and a half decades back when armed insurgency for a separate state within the territory of Tripura was at its peak.After a long struggle for the empowerment of indigenous people of the state, NC Debbarma's party IPFT had agreed to an electoral alliance with BJP before the 2018 assembly elections based on the promise of the creation of Tipraland. Until his death, Debbarma was fighting to achieve his goal.

5. Bikram Bahadur Jamatia from Tripura

The eminent social activist Bikram Bahadur Jamatia was the "Akraa" (priest) of Jamatia Hoda, an apex body of the Jamatia tribe which works for socio-economic and educational aspects. A retired Tripura government official, Jamatia had played a very courageous and significant role against insurgency in Tripura for a long time.

6. Risingbor Kurkalang from Meghalaya

Often called 'Master of Duitara"Risingbor Kurkalang is a tribal Duitara Instrument Maker and Musician from East Khasi Hills. He has been popularizing Khasi folk music and instruments (Saitar and Duitara) across the world. Duitara is a 4-stringed Khasi-Jaintia musical instrument, crafted using jackfruit tree and Muga silk - making it a lucrative source of rural livelihood 

7.  Karma Wangchu from Arunachal Pradesh 

Former health, transport and cooperation minister Karma Wangchu, who was the first minister from Tawang district has been awarded the Padma Shri for this year in Social Work. Born in Seru village in Tawang district in 1936, he had been elected as the first MLA from Tawang in 1978, and, during his time as a public representative from 1978-1994, Wangchu worked tirelessly for the preservation and promotion of the rich cultural heritage in the border areas of the state.He had served as a minister in the government headed by then chief minister Tomo Riba.Wangchu had not lost any election in his long political career, prior to retiring from politics in 1994.

8. KC Runremsangi from Mizoram 

 

Known as 'Queen of Mizo folk'KC Runremsangi  is a Mizo Folk Singer from Aizwal, safeguarding Mizo cultural heritage for over 3 decades. She is a very popular singer, who performs all over the country. She is credited with recording many Mizo folk songs. KC Runremsangi received her initial training from elders and later through Institute of Music and Fine Arts. She received Sangeet Natak Akademi Award in 2017.

9. Tula Ram Upreti from Sikkim 

Often referred as 'Jaivik Kheti ke Prerak' Tula Ram Upreti  is a 98 year old self-sustained small farmer practicing organic farming using only traditional methods. He has been doing so since childhood, 6 decades before Sikkim govt formed Sikkim Organic Mission. Since then he has been training and inspiring other farmers to adopt natural farming techniques. He reduced dependency of farmers on Agrochemical industry. He was engaged in farming with his wife Benu Maya Upreti, now deceased 

10.  K Shanathoiba Sharma from Manipur

Guru Kakchingtabam Shanathoiba Sharma was awarded Padma Shri for his three-decade-long distinguished contribution and other promotional activities in the field of sports and Thang Ta, a Manipuri martial art form in particular in the northeastern state.Born in a family practising Mukna Kangjei, a Manipuri traditional game of Wrestling-cum-Hockey and Thang-Ta,Guru Shanathoiba Sharma has been awarded Padma Shri for imparting training to many Thang-ta enthusiasts across the region and taking a key role in establishing various cultural bodies.In fact, this 68-year-old Science graduate (Royal Science) from Guwahati University (1974)started practising Thang-Ta from the age of 7 years. He actively continued practising the art by observing all the traditional and ritual formalities from his maternal uncles Guru G Gourakishor Sharma and G Sana Sharma when he was 14.Subsequently, he also learnt different principles and techniques of Thang-Ta from various eminent Gurus of Manipuri martial arts including Haobam Ibotombi Singh, Bor-Mantri, Konjengbam Biren Singh, Potsangbam Manichand Singh, M Ibetombi Singh and S Devabrata Singh.

11. Thounaojam Chaoba Singh from Manipur

Thounaojam Chaoba Singh (born 24 May 1937 in Utlou, Bishnupur district, Manipur) is former Indian Union minister and Bharatiya Janata Party state president from Manipur.He began his career with the Indian National Congress. From 1972, to 1995, Chaoba won from the Nambol Assembly Seat 5 times. He was Deputy Speaker of Manipur Legislative Assembly from 1974 to 1975. He became deputy chief minister of Manipur from 1994 to 1995.He was elected to the 11th Lok Sabha in 1996 from Inner Manipur from the Indian National Congress. He was elevated to the role of Congress Party state president in 1997.He was re-elected from this seat to the 12th Lok Sabha in 1998 and 13th Lok Sabha in 1999, but both times contesting with his regional party, the Manipur State Congress Party.In 1999, he became the Union Minister of State, Culture, Youth Affairs and Sports in the government of Prime Minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee.Presently, he is serving as the chairman of the Krishi Vigyan Kendra Bishnupur and managing chairman of the Pandit Deen Dayal Upadhyaya Institute of Agricultural Sciences Manipur after retiring from electoral politics.

12.  Moa Subong 

Known as 'Tunes of Bamhum' 61 Yrs old Moa Subong  is an eminent Naga Musician and Innovator who developed a new and easy to play instrument ‘Bamhum’, a wind musical instrument made from bamboo. He founded Abiogenesis, a musical band that fuses traditional Naga music with modern rock music, along with his vocalist wife. He also created a new music genre named Howey and another instrument called Tikzik