Birju Maharaj to Receive Highest West Bengal Civilian Award

RBN Web Desk: Eminent Kathak exponent Brijmohan Mishra, more popularly known as Birju Maharaj, will be conferred West Bengal’s highest civilian award Banga Bibhushan this year. The award was instilled in 2011 and carries a reward of ₹2 lakhs and a citation.

Chief minister Mamata Banerjee, while presenting the awards in Kolkata today, was reminded by eminent classical vocalist Ajoy Chakraborty that Birju Maharaj has not been the recipient of Banga Bibhushan. She instantly nodded to Chakraborty’s suggestion and said that the dancer will be handed over the award at his home by the state government.

Notable Banga Bibhushan awardees this year include legendary playback singer Asha Bhosle and actor Prosenjit Chatterjee. Prosenjit was awarded for his contribution to Bengali cinema. Others recipients include author Samaresh Majumdar, footballers Mohammed Habib and Subrata Bhattacharya, former justice Shyamal Sen, and others.

Sidhartha Chatterjee in Tagore Adaptation

Meanwhile, the Banga Bhushan was presented to singers Sreeradha Bandyopadhyay, Arundhati Hom Choudhury, and elocutionist Partha Ghosh.