Centenarian conferred Lifetime Achievement award
Source: The Sangai Express

Imphal, February 06 2019: Apart from conferring Manipur State Kala Akademi Lifetime Achievement Award to noted centenarian Hijam Gourasing Singh, Governor Dr Najma Heptulla handed over the Manipur State Kala Akademi Fellow 2015, Manipur State Kala Akademi Award 2015 and Manipur State Kala Akademi Young Talent Award 2015 today to 27 personalities, including litterateurs and artists.

The Lifetime Achievment Award carries a cash component of Rs 3 lakh, Akademi Fellow Rs 1 lakh, Akademi Award Rs 50,000 and Akademi Young Talent Award Rs 25 thousand.

Hijam Gourasing Singh is a Guru of Manoharshai Khol.

The awards were presented during a grand function organized by Manipur State Kala Akademi at Maharaja Chandrakirti Auditorium, Palace Compound, Imphal.

101 years old Manoharshai Khol Guru Hijam Gourasing Singh is the second person to be conferred the Manipur State Kala Akademi Lifetime Achievement Award after late litterateur MK Binodini in 2009 .

Centenarian conferred Lifetime Achievement award

Gourasing Singh, who is a resident of Thangmeiband Hijam Dewan Leikai, Imphal was conferred the Manipur State Kala Akademi Lifetime Achievement Award in recognition of his exceptional and long-standing contribution to Manipuri culture while the rest of the awardees were feted for their contributions to different art forms and Manipuri literature.

Some of the awardees included Pena Guru Khangembam Mangi Singh (MSKA Fellow), Khongjom Parva artiste Nameirakpam ongbi Ibemni Devi (MSKA Fellow), Manipuri Classical Dance senior Guru Konsam Kumar Singh (MSKA Award), Thadou-Kuki folk dance Guru Vahjaneng Touthang (MSKA Award), Tribal Dance Guru Th Abung Maram (MSKA Award), litterateur Dr Sagolsem Lanchenba Meetei (MSKA Award), Shumang Leela script writer Aheibam Deben Singh (MSKA Award) and Shumang Leela artiste Thokchom Santosh Singh among others.

Speaking at the function, Najma Heptulla said that Manipur is widely known for her rich culture and the richness and the diverseness of culture emanating from such a small State leaves the rest of the country and even the world in awe and admiration.

Saying that the vigorous folk dances and music of the hill people in the State add diverseness and richness to the culture of Manipur, Najma added that the State is also equally rich in various other art forms such as Nata Sankirtana which has been recognised as an intangible heritage by UNESCO.

Asserting that Manipur State Kala Akademi was established by the Government of Manipur in 1972 as its cultural agency, she said that the Akademi receives grants from the Government for taking up works for preservation and promotion of art and culture.

Apart from organizing many programmes and projects in different fields by holding festivals, workshops, seminars, symposia, exhibitions and cultural exchange programmes, the Akademi also carries out the work of documentation, publication, acquisition of books, materials for its library, archives and museum connected with culture, besides bringing out many publications both in English and Manipuri.

The Akademi, since its inception, has been making sustained efforts for promotion, preservation and propagation of Manipur's rich cultural tradition both within and outside the State.

The memorial lectures of the said Akademi have attracted many scholars, writers and artists from many parts of India and abroad to whom Manipuri culture has been introduced through interaction.

The function was also attended by M Lakshmikumar Singh, Commissioner, Department of Art and Culture, GoM as the president.