Chief Minister Vishnu Deo Sai congratulated and wished him all success
Team News Riveting
Raipur, January 25
One of the legends of Bastar in Chhattisgarh, Pandi Ram Mandavi has been honoured with Padma Shri.
The prestigious fourth highest civilian award in the country has been given to Mandavi for his remarkable contribution in the field of traditional musical instrument making and wood craftsmanship. The 68-year-old artist belongs to the Gond Muria tribe and hails from Narayanpur district in Chhattisgarh.
For the last five decades, he has not only been preserving the cultural heritage of Bastar but is also giving it a new identity. His special identity is in the manufacture of a bamboo Bastar flute, called ‘Sulur’. Apart from this, he has taken the art to the global level through embossed paintings, sculptures and other artifacts on wooden panels.
Mandavi learned this art from his ancestors at the age of just 12 and with his dedication and skill, he took the art and culture of Chhattisgarh to new heights. As a cultural ambassador, he has exhibited his art in more than 8 countries. Also, through his workshop, he has worked to take this tradition to new generations by training more than a thousand artisans.
Chief Minister Vishnu Deo Sai has congratulated Pandi Ram Mandavi for bagging the prestigious Padma Shri and wished him all success. Mandavi has brought laurel for the state, Sai said in a message posted on X.
He not only preserved the rich tradition and culture of Bastar but also trained a large number of people to save it, Sai said.
