Bhubaneswar, September 5: In its 30 th year of celebration, the annual Guru Kelucharan
Mohapatra (GKCM) Award Festival, the premier classical event in the cultural calendar of
Odisha organised by Srjan Guru Kelucharan Mohapatra Odissi Nrityabasa commenced with a
beautiful and soulful Ghazal recital by eminent singer Shri Chandan Dass, here on Thursday.
The seven-day cultural extravaganza scheduled from September 5-11 this year features an
exceptionally well-curated line-up of artistes including celebrated musicians Kalaimamani Dr.
OS Arun, Pt. Rakesh Chaurasia, Shri Ojas Adhiya, and Shri Ambi and Smt. Bindu
Subramaniam, and renowned dancers Guru Vaibhav Arekar and Guru Ashimbandhu
Bhattacharjee with their troupes, and Guru Ratikant Mohapatra’s very own Srjan ensemble.
The award ceremony on the final day will see stalwart artistes Guru Smt. Kumkum Lal, Guru
Lakshmikanta Palit, Guru Dhaneswar Swain, and Shri Uttam Mohanty receive the Shalimar’s
Guru Kelucharan Mohapatra Award 2024, while Dr. Pompi Paul, Smt. Rajnita Mehra, Shri Avijit
Das, and Shri Rohita Pradhan receive the Shalimar’s Guru Kelucharan Mohapatra Yuva
Prativa Samman 2024.
The inaugural evening commenced punctually at 7 pm, with the auspicious lighting of the
lamp, and the welcome address. The esteemed guests for the evening included Shri Suresh
Pujari, Hon’ble Minister of Revenue, Commerce and Transport, Prof. Dr. Tej Partap, Hon’ble
Vice Chancellor, Sri Sri University (SSU), Cuttack; Shri Ashok Kumar Tripathy, Former
Member, Board of Revenue, Govt. of Odisha; Shri Pankaj Lochan Mohanty, Chairman, MGM
Minerals Ltd. and Guru Ratikant Mohapatra, Director, Srjan, and Dean, Faculty of Arts,
Communication and Indic Studies, SSU.
The soulful Ghazal rendition of Shri Chandan Dass was replete with his distinctive style of
singing with the signature aura of his hometown Murshidabad. A Begum Akhtar Puraskar
recipient, the deep influence of the inimitable style of legend Mehdi Hassan shone bright as he
lent his voice to the works of several renowned poets. Aiming to promote and preserve the rich
Ghazal tradition of India, his harmonious recital with his accompanying orchestra on the
opening evening of the 30 th GKCM Award Festival 2024 was a befitting inauguration and
tribute to the Arts. He was ably accompanied by Shri Arshad Khan on Tabla, Shri Abhiram
Nanda on the flute, Shri Arif Lateef on the keyboard, and Shri Bhabhatosh Mohanty on the
guitar.
The curtains drew to a close as Srjan awaits yet another evening of cultural immersion, with
the Bharatanatyam performance of reputed Bharatanatyam exponent Guru Vaibhav Arekar
and the Sankhya Dance Company from Mumbai, who will present Shrimant Yogi, a homage
chronicling the life and times of the legendary Shivaji Maharaj.
Srjan is receiving the able institutional support of Sri Sri University, Cuttack, a leading
educational institution of India. This alliance aims to foster the inter-connectedness of
academia and performing arts in classical realm. The entire festival is curated, conceptualized,
and designed by Ratikant Mohapatra, with punctilious programme execution by Debiprasad
Mishra. Shri Mrutyunjaya Rath conducted the proceedings for the evening seamlessly. The 30 th
GKCM Award Festival has received donations from MGM Minerals and Shalimar Chemical
Works Pvt. Ltd. Supported by the Ministry of Culture, Government of India, and the
Department of Odia Literature Language and Culture, Government of Odisha, the festival
sponsors include Shalimar’s Coconut Oil, NALCO, SBI, IMFA, Priyadarshini Silks, and
Paradeep Phosphates Limited. The Royale Midtown Hotel is its hospitality partner. Dharitri and
Orissa Post, and Narthaki.com are the media partners and web partner respectively.
