Bhubaneswar: The 6th International Trinetra Award Festival-2026, organised by Trinetra Kala Kunja in remembrance of Guru Dr. Debaprasad Das (Bharat Nrutya Unnayan Ratna), in association with the Department of Odia Language, Literature and Culture, Government of Odisha, was held at Utkala Rangamancha, Guru Kelucharan Mohapatra Odissi Research Centre (GKCMORC), Bhubaneswar on November 13.
The day-long festival, from 10 am to 9 pm, brought together eminent gurus, distinguished awardees and young artistes from across India and abroad in a vibrant celebration of India’s performing-arts heritage.
The inaugural session at 10 am was graced by Shri Ram Narayan Sathpathy, Former ITO; Bidushi Minakhi Behera, Bidushi Chapala Mishra and Guru Dr. Manoj Behera, eminent Odissi dance gurus; and Guru Dr. Gajendra Kumar Panda, OSNA Awardee and eminent Odissi dance guru.
The inaugural and afternoon sessions featured solo, duet and group Odissi as well as Sambalpuri group dances by a large number of young artistes, whose energy and discipline reflected the promise of the next generation of performers.
A special Odissi presentation by Yanhai from China added an international dimension to the festival.
The valedictory session, from 6 pm onwards, began with the lighting of the ceremonial lamp by the esteemed guests of the evening: Shri Rabi Narayan Behera, Hon’ble MP, Jajpur Lok Sabha Constituency; Shri Golak Prasad Mohapatra, Former Vice-President, BJP, Odisha; Shri Mihir Kumar Samal, State Ambassador, Odisha International Human Rights; Shri Sishir Kumar Acharya, eminent social worker and former Army officer; Shri Tirthananda Mohanty, Senior Research Fellow, Kabichandra Academy; Guru Dr. Gajendra Kumar Panda, eminent Odissi guru and OSNA Awardee; Bidushi Muktilata Pal, eminent Odissi guru and OSNA Awardee; and Shri Tridev Behera, Chairman, Tetrahedron Group of Institutes.
The highlight of the evening was the presentation of the 6th International Trinetra Award-2026. The International Trinetra Award-2026 was conferred on Dr. Saraswati Rajathesh (Bengaluru), eminent Kuchipudi and Bharatanatyam exponent; Prof. Dr. Vijaya Sharma (Bhopal), eminent Kathak exponent; and Shri Rabindra Kumar Sahu (Cuttack), eminent educationist and philanthropist.
The International Trinetra Yuva Pratibha Award-2026 was presented to Ms. Anshika Chauhan (Gwalior), eminent young ghazal singer, and to young Odissi dancers Ms. Chaithra Lakshminarayan (Bengaluru), Shri Abhijit Deb (Bhubaneswar) and Ms. Pramila Patnaik (Brahmapur). Child Odissi dance stars Sulagna Patnaik, Aishya Aradhana and Shreyansi Swain received the International Trinetra Sishu Pratibha Award-2026.
The award ceremony was followed by an enthralling series of performances. Ms. Chaithra Lakshminarayan presented a graceful solo Odissi, while Ms. Anshika Chauhan’s ghazal and bhajan recital moved the audience with its soulful melodies and heartfelt expression. Dr. Saraswati Rajathesh brought alive the rhythmic precision and expressive abhinaya of Bharatanatyam, and Prof. Dr. Vijaya Sharma enthralled the audience with the intricate footwork and elegant storytelling of Kathak.
Shri Abhijit Deb presented a solo Odissi, and Nrutyapuri, Bhubaneswar, featuring Abhijit Deb, Meghambari Pradhan and Daizy Sharma, presented a group Odissi. The disciples of Trinetra Kala Kunja enriched the evening with group Odissi as well as a vibrant group folk dance and Kali dance.
The programme was compered by Prof. Punyadarshan Sahu.
