Bhubaneswar: The 7th edition of Sisupalgarh Mahotsav was held in Hotel Kalinga Ashok here Saturday.
After the lighting of ceremonial auspicious lamp, the guests of the evening released a souvenir ‘Sisupalgarh-the lost city’. This was followed by the award giving ceremony. Sisupalgarh Samman-2021 was conferred on noted novelist Dr Bibhuti Patnaik. Poet Hussain Rabi Gandhi, blood donor Gouri Prasad Das, Pattachitra artist Bijay Parida, social activist Amarendra Garabadu and Odissi dancer Pushpanjali Nayak were conferred with KAPOCH Pratibha Samman.
The guests and a limited number of audience were treated with cultural programmes. While Boby Raj, Sharmishtha and Sibun Prasad entertained the audience by singing some chosen numbers, talented dancers of Sai Kala Parishad mesmerized the audience by performing Odissi dance.
Among others, Science and Technology, Public Enterprises, Social Security and Empowerment of Persons with Disability Ashok Chandra Panda and School and Mass Education Minister Samir Ranjan Das attended the event as chief guest and chief speaker respectively. They apart, Minister of Water Resources and IPR Raghunandan Das, MLA Ananta Narayan Jena and Odisha Mo Parivar, chairman Arup Patnaik shared the dais as honourable guests. The meeting was chaired by chairman, Odisha Khadi and Village Industries Board Sangram Keshari Paikray, who is also the president of Kalinga Association for Protection of Culture and Heritage (KAPOCH).
The festival is held in Sisupalgarh itself. Keeping the pandemic situation in view, the festival was organised at a hotel this year, informed KAPOCH, secretary, Chitta Ranjan Mohanty.
By kalasanskruti
