The Bihar Art Awards, organized by the Art, Culture, and Youth Department, will honor 52 artists. The press conference related to the Bihar Art Award scheme was held in Patna, presided over by Minister of Art, Culture and Youth Department, Motilal Prasad. Departmental Secretary Pranav Kumar, along with other officials and media representatives, were present at the event. Minister Motilal Prasad stated that the Bihar Art Award aims to recognize established and emerging artists who have made outstanding contributions in various fields of visual and performing arts at the state, national, and international levels.
**Selection of 52 Artists for Three Years**
A total of 52 artists have been selected for the financial years 2022-23, 2023-24, and 2024-25, including the following categories:
* 22 Established Artists
* 18 Emerging Artists
* 6 National Awards
* 6 Lifetime Achievement Awards
**Selection Details:**
* 2022-23: 6 Established, 7 Emerging, 2 National, 2 Lifetime
* 2023-24: 8 Established, 5 Emerging, 2 National, 2 Lifetime
* 2024-25: 8 Established, 5 Emerging, 2 National, 2 Lifetime
**Awards and Financial Details**
The Bihar government will distribute a total of ₹27,72,000 in prize money to the selected artists. The awards will include the following amounts and commemorative items:
* National Award – ₹1,00,000 – Souvenir, Certificate, Angavastra
* Lifetime Achievement – ₹1,00,000 – Souvenir, Certificate, Angavastra
* Established Artist – ₹51,000 – Souvenir, Certificate, Angavastra
* Emerging Artist – ₹25,000 – Souvenir, Certificate, Angavastra
**Key Award Winners (Year 2022-23)**
* National Award: Chitra Prasad, Padma Shri Dulari Devi
* Lifetime Achievement: Anil Bihari, Suman Kumar
**Year 2023-24**
* National Award: Kalpana Patwari, Padma Shri Baua Devi
* Lifetime Achievement: Padma Shri Nirmala Devi, Bharat Singh Bharti
**Year 2024-25**
* National Award: Ratneshwar Prasad (Performing Arts), Ashok Kumar Vishwas (Visual Arts)
* Lifetime Achievement: Shivan Paswan (Godna Art), Bharat Sharma Vyas (Folk Singing)
In addition, a total of 18 other artists from contemporary art, folk art, theater, classical and folk music, musical instruments, dance, etc., will also be honored in various categories.
**Award Ceremony: Scheduled for September 24**
Minister Motilal Prasad said that the selection process, which had been pending for a long time, has now been completed. The award ceremony will be held on September 24, 2025, with the announcement of the awards for three years. Departmental Secretary Pranav Kumar said that more than 150 applications were received under this scheme, out of which high-quality artists were selected. He also informed that the application deadline for the Chief Minister Guru-Shishya Parampara scheme may be extended.
**State Government’s Commitment**
The Minister said in his address that the Bihar government is fully committed to recognizing, honoring, and encouraging artists. The Bihar Art Award is an inspiration to enrich the state’s cultural dignity and to touch new heights in the field of art.
