Folk artiste Simanchal to get Padma Shri
Bhubaneswar: Ninety-nine-year-old veteran folk artiste Simanchal Patro on Sunday said he was happy that the government has selected him for the Padma Shri award.
Along with Patro, three other distinguished individuals from Odisha - eminent educationist Mahendra Kumar Mishra, ‘Santhali’ author Charan Hembram and tie and dye artist Sarat Kumar Patra — will be conferred with Padma Shri 2026, the Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA) announced on Sunday.
“I am happy that the government of India has nominated me for the highest civilian award. This recognition will help to attract several others for the promotion of our Odia art and culture,” Patro said.
Sarat Kumar Patra and Simanchal Patro will be conferred the Padma Shri 2026 in the field of art, while Charan Hembram and Mahendra Kumar Mishra will get the prestigious civilian award in the field of Literature and Education, the MHA said.
Folk artiste Simanchal Patro, born in 1927 in Bamakei village in Ganjam district, has dedicated his life to preserve and promote ‘Prahallada Natak’.
‘Prahallada Natak’ narrates the story of Vishnu’s Nrusingha or Narasimha avatar through over 200 songs based on almost 35 ragas of Odissi music. The Natak literally means a play about Prahlad-belongs to the district of Ganjam in south Odisha.
The performance of the play is highly dramatic and spectacular, combining raucous music, vigorous dancing, operatic song, melodramatic dialogue and acrobatics. This unique theatre embodies many of the rich folk, classical and tribal traditions of Odisha.
Patro is a celebrated performer in the Sakhi Nata folk theatre tradition, having begun his training in this art form from the age of 12 years. According to family sources, Patro reportedly sold a significant portion of his personal property for the promotion and preservation of Prahallada Natak.
As per reports, Hembram, who hails from Mayurbhanj district, aims to bring legitimacy to the Santali language and popularise its art and cultural heritage. He has founded multiple institutions aimed at expanding access to tribal cultural education. For more than three decades, he has championed the preservation of indigenous dance traditions, particularly by empowering women to carry them forward.
Eminent folklorist Mishra has dedicated his life to recording and preserving the voices of Odisha’s tribal communities. He has documented their myths, epics, proverbs, and songs, and has authored around 30 books on Odia and tribal folklore. His work has helped the State government introduce multilingual education in several tribal languages.
Sarat Kumar Patra of the Tigiria area in Cuttack district is a pioneering Ikat weaver and innovator. He has created more than 50 natural dye shades and revived traditional natural dyeing processes. He has also mentored over a hundred young, underprivileged weavers.
