By Bizodisha Bureau, Bhubaneswar, January 25, 2016 : Film director and producer Nila Madhab Panda and Kosli poet Haldar Nag of Odisha have been named to receive the prestigious Padma Shri award for their distinguished service in film direction and production and literature & education fields, respectively, the union home ministry said on Monday in a press release.

Film director and producer Nila Madhab Panda and Kosli poet Haldar Nag of Odisha have been named to receive the prestigious Padma Shri award for their distinguished service in film direction and production and literature & education fields, respectively, the union home ministry said on Monday in a press release.

Besides, Sribhas Chandra Supakar will also be honoured with the Padma Shri in the field of Textile Designing. Supkar, who originally hails from Sambalpur has settled in Uttar Pradesh.

The President of India will confer the award on 83 Padma Shri awardees, including Panda and Nag, at a function to be held at Rashtrapati Bhawan by end of April this year. The release also announced the names of 10 persons for Padma Vibhushan and 19 for Padma Bhushan awards.

An elated Panda said, “This award is a great honour to me and will encourage me to work in the direction of making more films on several issues of the country.”
Similarly, poet Haldhar Nag expressed happiness for the award. He dedicated the award for Kosali language.

“I am personally happy for being selected to get Padma Shri award. But, this award is a matter of great pleasure not for me only, but for the Koshal soil and Koshali language”, an elated Nag said.