Pandi Ram Mandavi of Bastar region selected for Padma Shri Award

Raipur, January 25

Chief Minister Shri Vishnu Deo Sai has congratulated and extended best wishes to Shri Pandi Ram Mandavi, a tribal artist from Narayanpur district, on being selected for the Padma Shri Award. This prestigious award will be given to him for his remarkable contribution in the field of traditional musical instrument making and woodcraft.

Shri Pandi Ram Mandavi, who is 68 years old, belongs to the Gond Muria tribe. For the past five decades, he has not only been preserving the cultural heritage of Bastar but also giving it a new identity. His special identity is in the making of the Bastar flute made of bamboo, which is called ‘Sulur’. Apart from this, he has taken his art to the global level through embossed paintings, sculptures, and other artifacts on wooden panels.
Shri Pandi Ram Mandavi learned this art from his ancestors at the tender age of 12 and, with his dedication and skill, took the art and culture of Chhattisgarh to new heights. As a cultural ambassador, he has performed his art in more than 8 countries. Also, through his workshop, he has trained more than a thousand artisans and carried forward this tradition to new generations.