Twenty seven individuals were honoured with Manipur State Kala Akademi Awards 2016-17 for their exemplary works on various arts and culture activities in the state on Tuesday.
Manipur consumer affairs food and public distribution minister Karam Shyam accompanied by commissioner (arts and culture) Mongjam Joy and secretary L Kishorjit Singh of Manipur State Kala Akademi distributed the awards during a solemn function at Jawaharlal Nehru Manipur Dance Academy auditorium in Imphal.
Minister Karam Shyam who holds Revenue portfolio and others also spoke at the end of the award distribution function.
The Akademi Award 2016-17 including 2 Akademi Fellows,19 Akademi Awards and 6 Young Talent Award were presented to 27 artistes.
The awards are conferred for their outstanding contribution in the fields of dance, music, theatre, literature, custom designing, Shumang Leela(courtyard play), Thang Ta(traditional martial arts), tribal culture, other art forms such as traditional theatre, literature, mime and fine arts.
Among them, 27-year-old Kaisii Athine, a resident of Maopungdong village in Manipur’s Senapati district was awarded akademi young talent award in tribal culture.
Similarly differently able mime artist Moirangthem Inaoton Singh was also awarded akademi young talent award in mime.
Thirty-two years Inaoton who is deaf-mute by birth, has risen above many adversaries to establish himself in the world of mime theatre.
He is a resident of Kongba Kshetri Leikai in Imphal East district.
Earlier state Governor Dr Najma Heptulla was supposed to attend the award distribution ceremony.