7 to receive 'Shilpakala Padak 2017'

Seven creative personalities from different arenas will receive 'Shilpakala Padak 2017' for their continuous contributions to the respective fields.

The awardees are Alauddin Mia in instrumental music, Sharmila Bandyopadhyay in dance, Nasir Ali Mamun in photography, Chandra Shekhar Dey in fine arts, Kangalini Sufia Begum in folk culture, S M Mohsin in dramatics and Mihir Lala in music.

President Abdul Hamid will formally hand over the award to the recipients at a function on Monday at Bangladesh Shilpakala Academy.

Each awardee will get a cheque for Tk 1 lakh, a certificate and a crest, a BSA senior official told UNB.

Cultural Affairs Minister Asaduzzaman Noor will be present as the special guest while Cultural Affairs Secretary Md Ibraheem Hosein Khan will preside over the function.

Shilpakala Academy Director General Liaquat Ali Lucky will deliver the welcome speech.

A 16-member nomination committee, comprising of BSA director general secretary, six directors, seven cultural personalities and one representative from Cultural Affairs Ministry, selected this year's awardees.

The award is conferred for outstanding contribution to 12 sectors -- music, instrumental music, dance, dramatics, fine arts, recitation, photography, jatrashilpa, film, creative organiser, cultural researcher and folklore.