Chief Minister Raman Singh felicitated veteran and renowned sculptors and craftsmen of the country at National Handicraft Award Ceremony organized by Handicraft Division of Union Textile Ministry and State Government's Gramodyog Department here on Friday.
Union Textile Minister Smriti Zubin Irani presided over the programme. On the occasion, Village Industries Minister Punnulal Mohle and Raipur MP Ramesh Bais were also present.
The State Government's Gramodyog Department officials informed that this is National Handicraft Award Ceremony has been organized in Chhattisgarh's capital city Raipur for the first time.
On special request of Chief Minister Raman Singh, Union Textile Ministry decided to organise this event in Raipur. On the occasion, accomplished and veteran craftsmen of year 2016 were awarded Shilp Guru Award and National Award.
Eight craftsmen received Shilp Guru Award 2016 namely Mohd Matloob of Delhi, Gulam Haider Mirza of Jammu & Kashmir, Roopam Mathru of Odisha, Gopal Saini of Punjab, Arjun Prajapati and Babulal Marotiya of Rajasthan, and Tripti Mukherjee of West Bengal.
The 25 craftsmen, who received National Award 2016 on the occasion are Hema Devi of Bihar, Mamta Devi of Delhi, Mohammad Yakub Khatri of Gujarat, Abraham Hasan Khatri of Gujarat, Usha J Pawar, Vinita Prakash and Sarojini N Yasmi of Karnataka, Anubam Kalpana Devi of Manipur, Sukanti Swan of Odisha, D Venkatum of Telangana, Kalpana Chitrakar of West Bengal, Khandu Shrivaslu of Andhra Pradesh, R Ravindram of Tamil Nadu, Sudheer Fadnes of Delhi, Rajendra Singh Yadav of Uttar Pradesh, Kamaljeet of Punjab, Sharad Kumar Pradhan of Odisha, Hasan Ahmed of Uttar Pradesh, Amritlal Sirohiya, Rajendra Kumar, Gajendra Soni, Mohanlal Gujjar of Rajasthan, Tapas Kumar of West Bengal and Dhirendra Kumar of Bihar and Riyaz Ahmed Khan of Jammu Kashmir. Shilp Guru Award was started in year 2002 by Central Government, under which awardees receive Rs two lakh cash and a gold coin along with shawl, certificates and memento.