Which Artists Won the Padma Shree Awards in 2023

Celebrating artistic achievements is necessary as it helps to reinforce the prominence of Indian art in society. It also encourages greater awareness and appreciation of one’s cultural practices. Padma awards are one of the highest civilian honours of India, presented by the President of India. Guess what is one of our favourite categories? Of course, it’s art! 

The Art category in Padma awards in 2023 includes individuals excelling in music, painting, sculpture, photography, cinema, theatre, etc. So here we are, presenting to you the artists, excelling in the field of art and crafts, who received Padma Shri in 2023. 

1. Ms. Jodhaiyabai Baiga is an Indian fine artist living in Madhya Pradesh. Her artistic style is compared to Jangarh Singh Shyam and depicts her traditional tribal culture through paintings. Her paintings have been exhibited in Delhi, Mumbai, Milan, Paris, and many other cities. 

2. Shri Premjit Baria hails from Diu and is an eminent miniature painter specializing in contemporary art. 

3. Shri Bhanubhai Chitara is a seventh-generation Kalamkari artist from the Chunara community. He is carrying forward the legacy of the 400-year-old traditional craft of Mata ni Pachedi and his paintings are inspired by mythological epics such as Mahabharata and Ramayana. Kalamkari is an Indian art of hand-painted cotton textiles, produced in Andhra Pradesh. 

4. Ms. Hemoprova Chutia is one of the women from Assam who managed to weave more than her dreams on silk. She has woven the Bhagavad Gita in Sanskrit and English, in two separate creations, on silk. She also weaved the Naam Ghosa, created in the sixteenth century, into one of her creations. Her most noteworthy creation is weaving the complete Gunamala authored by Assamese Saint Srimanta Shankardev on a custom piece using cotton and wool.

5. Ms. Subhadra Devi proved that preserving artwork doesn’t have any age barriers. She is an 87 years old Madhubani Papier Mache artist from Biharwho has been promoting this Indian art. She learned this art in childhood at her parent’s place in Manigachi in Darbhanga by watching the elders in her family. 

6. Shri Hem Chandra Goswami is a celebrated Indian artist who is known for decorating Sattriya masks. Hailing from Majuli, he has been preserving, promoting, and innovating Assam’s ceremonial mask-making culture. He learned the art from his father Rudra Kanta and makes his masks with bamboo, cloth, and a mixture of cow dung and earth.

7. Ms. Pritikana Goswami is an Indian artist specializing in Kantha embroidery. She has been training rural women in this artwork for five decades now and hopes that the Padma Shri will inspire more women to take up this Indian traditional art. She had taken up embroidery and stitching as a profession 50 years ago to support her family. 

8. Shri Dilshad Hussain is an Indian artist – a master craftsman of Brass Nakashi work from Moradabad and has been promoting the art globally. He mentioned how he used to watch his grandfather craft brass as a child and to grow up he learned the art from his uncle Kallu Ansar. 

9. Shri Kapil Dev Prasad is a ‘Bawan Buti’ handloom weaver from Nalanda, Bihar. He depicts ancient Buddhist symbols in his weaves, especially on sarees, bedsheets, and curtains. He has contributed to reviving and promoting the weave for over five decades now and hopes that the award will throw light on this dying art. 

10. Shri Ramesh Parmar & Ms. Shanti Parmar are an Indian craftsperson duo from Jhabua who make adivasi dolls from recycled clothes. Traditionally this Indian art was practised only by the tribes but they have also trained several other women in the same, creating employment opportunities for people of all communities in Jhabua.  

11. Shri Shah Rasheed Ahmed Quadri is a renowned craftsman from Bidar, known for introducing the Phooljhadi design in Bidri. He has repeatedly said that there is a threat to this Indian art due to the lack of marketing and hopes that the government provides a market for these artists to sustain. 

12. Shri C V Raju is an Etikopakka toy maker from Anakapalli. During the lockdown as well, PM Narendra Modi hailed his efforts in reviving the ancient wood lacquer crafts toys. He is known to focus on local knowledge of making vegetable dyes and developing new tools and techniques to practice art sustainably. 

13. Ms. Neihunuo Sorhie is a tribal loin loom weaver from Kohima, who is credited with training over 300 women in the Naga craft. She is known for her meticulous ‘attention to detail patterns in her traditional weaves as well as her creative original art motifs. A true Indian artist, she is also skilled in knitting and creating decorative pieces with local products and traditional jewellery. 

14. Paresh Rathwa is a Pithora artist from Chhota Udepur, promoting the ancient 12,000-year-old tribal folk art. Pithora paintings were done on the walls by the Rathwa, Bhils, and Bhilala tribes and the artwork has been carried forward through generations as a traditional occupation. 

15. Shri Ajay Kumar Mandavi is a tribal wood carving artist from Kanker. He is actively rehabilitating misguided youth in LWE-affected areas through livelihood. 

Did you find any of your favorite Indian artwork in this list?