Chhattisgarh artisan Pandiram Mandavi awarded Padma Shri for preserving tribal heritage

Pandiram Mandavi, a traditional instrument maker and woodcraft artist from Gadhbengal in Chhattisgarh’s Narayanpur district, has been conferred the Padma Shri for 2025 by President Droupadi Murmu. The honour celebrates his outstanding contribution to the preservation and promotion of tribal musical heritage and indigenous artistry.

For over five decades, Mandavi has dedicated his life to crafting traditional instruments of the Gond and Muria tribes, madar, bana, and nagada, using locally sourced wood and time-honoured techniques. His artistry is not merely functional but deeply spiritual, rooted in rituals, folk traditions, and the cultural memory of Bastar’s forest-dwelling communities.

Advertisement

Chhattisgarh Chief Minister Vishnu Deo Sai congratulated Mandavi, calling the award “a proud moment for Chhattisgarh’s tribal identity and a national acknowledgment of the enduring richness of our folk traditions.” He added, “Artisans like Mandavi ji demonstrate that the soul of India lives in its villages.”

Mandavi’s recognition is particularly timely, as traditional crafts face the threat of commercial decline and cultural neglect. His journey underscores the importance of safeguarding intangible heritage, not merely as a tribute to the past but as a foundation for future generations.