Celebrating Artistry: Highlights from the 32nd Guru Kelucharan Mohapatra Award Festival

The 32nd Guru Kelucharan Mohapatra Award Festival 2026 concluded with a grand ceremony in Bhubaneswar, celebrating outstanding contributions to the arts. The event featured prestigious awards for notable figures in dance, music, theatre, and cinema, alongside a mesmerizing performance of 'Maati'. This innovative production, inspired by the works of Odia poet Radha Mohan Gadanayak, showcased the resilience of Mother Earth. Join us as we explore the highlights of this remarkable festival that honors artistic excellence.

By Narendra Chaudhary Sep 9, 2026, 22:26 IST

A Grand Conclusion to the GKCM Award Festival 2026

Bhubaneswar: The 32nd Guru Kelucharan Mohapatra (GKCM) Award Festival 2026 wrapped up on a high note on Wednesday, featuring an award presentation ceremony followed by an enchanting performance of ‘Maati’ by the Srjan Ensemble.

This festival was organized by Srjan – Guru Kelucharan Mohapatra Odissi Nrityabasa in partnership with Sri Sri University, Cuttack.

On the final day, the GKCM Award 2026, which includes a cash prize of Rs 1 lakh and a citation, was awarded to four distinguished individuals for their lifelong contributions to the arts.

The recipients of this prestigious award were Guru Sharon Lowen for dance, Guru Keshab Chandra Rout for music, Dhirendranath Mallick for theatre, and Mahasweta Ray for cinema.

Additionally, the GKCM Kala Samman 2026 was awarded to Agnimi tra Behera for instrumental music (violin) and Dr. Nazia Alam for vocal music, each receiving Rs 50,000 and a citation.

The GKCM Yuva Pratibha Samman 2026 recognized Vrinda Chadha and Aishwariya Singhdev for Odissi dance, Dr. Nikita Banawalikar for Kathak, and Soumya Ranjan Nayak for Odissi music (Mardala), with each winner receiving Rs 25,000 and a citation.

During the event, Babu Singh, MLA of Bhubaneswar, and K. V. Singh Deo, Deputy Chief Minister of Odisha, commended the festival's lasting legacy.

The award ceremony was succeeded by the eagerly anticipated grand finale—‘Maati’, an innovative choreographic piece by Guru Ratikant Mohapatra.

This production drew inspiration from the works of renowned Odia poet Radha Mohan Gadanayak, with script adaptation by the late Jayadev Das, and featured music composed by Guru Lakshmikant Palit, alongside arrangements by the late Tarakant Panda.

Lighting design and operation were executed by Debiprasad Mishra and D. Dhilip Kumar. ‘Maati’ celebrated the resilience and eternal victory of Mother Earth, the source of all life.

The performance illustrated a cosmic interaction between the earth and its elements—sky, sun, moon, clouds, and wind—while depicting Mother Earth’s graceful acceptance of life’s challenges.

The talented performers included Rajashri Praharaj, Aishwariya Singhdev, Preetisha Mohapatra, Madhabi Rout, Daina Ghose, Pallishree Priyadarshini, G. Sanjay, and Rajkumar Kar.