Odisha to move Centre for classical status to Odissi music

Bhubaneswar: The Odisha Heritage Cabinet on Wednesday decided to request the Centre to accord classical status to Odissi music.

Culture Minister Jyoti Prakash Panigrahi said a resolution was passed at the meeting to request the Government of India to give Odissi music a classical status.

The Government of Odisha has recognised Odissi as a classical form of music during 2008.

This form of music is very ancient and has a sastric basis. It is also different from other forms of classical music, the Minister said.

In 1964, Odissi was recognised as a classical dance by the Centre. In 2014, Odia was recognised as a classical language.

The cabinet also approved that the amounts for the Atibadi Jagannath Das Samman, Kabi Samrat Upendra Bhanja Samman, Dharmapada Samman, and Byasakabi Fakir Mohan Samman would be increased from Rs 1 lakh to Rs 5 lakh.

Similarly, the amounts for awards to the various Academies shall be increased from Rs 50,000 to Rs 2 lakh and the amount of felicitations of various Academies shall be increased to Rs 1 lakh.