Bhubaneswar: Krishna Patel, the voice behind the much-acclaimed Sambalpuri song ‘Rangabati’, received Padma Shri from President Droupadi Murmu in New Delhi on Wednesday.
Besides the 71-year-old vocalist, eminent artist and puppeteer Magunicharan Kuanr, noted litterateur Antaryami Mishra and agriculturist Patayat Sahu from the state were conferred with Padma awards this year.
With this, the popular folk song has become the first Indian song to receive three Padma awards in a span of six years. Mitrabhanu Gountia, the lyricist of the song, was the first the receive Padma Shri in 2017. Three years later, Jitendra Haripal, the male vocalist of the song, was conferred with the award.
Notably, Rangabati was first aired during All India Radio (AIR) Sambalpur’s Suramalika programme in 1975-76. It was re-recorded in disc format at Indian Record Company, Kolkata, in 1978-79. It was the first song of India to be aired in BBC London and VOA in 1979/80. It was also played during the third ODI cricket match between India and Sri Lanka in Cuttack in December 2010.
Bollywood musician Shankar Mahadevan sang the same song at the opening ceremony of Asian Athletics Championships at Kalinga Stadium in Bhubaneswar in 2017.
