CM Sai Congratulates Two CG Artists on Bismillah Khan Yuva Award
Synopsis
Chhattisgarh CM Vishnu Deo Sai congratulated artists Anand Kumar Pandey and Ghanshyam Sahu on winning the Ustad Bismillah Khan Yuva Puraskar 2025, awarded by the Sangeet Natak Akademi for their contributions to the state's art, culture, and theatre.
Key Takeaways
Anand Kumar Pandey and Ghanshyam Sahu from Chhattisgarh have been conferred the Ustad Bismillah Khan Yuva Puraskar 2025 .
The award is given annually by the Sangeet Natak Akademi under the Ministry of Culture to young performing artists.
The puraskar was instituted in 2006 in memory of shehnai legend and Bharat Ratna awardee Ustad Bismillah Khan .
CM Vishnu Deo Sai described the achievement as a 'moment of pride for all of Chhattisgarh' .
Both awardees are recognised for giving Chhattisgarh's art, culture, and theatre traditions a national identity.
Two artists from Chhattisgarh have earned a place on India's national cultural honours roll — and Chhattisgarh Chief Minister Vishnu Deo Sai wasted no time marking the moment. On Monday, 19 October 2026, CM Sai took to X to congratulate Anand Kumar Pandey and Ghanshyam Sahu on being conferred the prestigious Ustad Bismillah Khan Yuva Puraskar 2025 — one of India's most coveted awards for young performing artists.
In his post, CM Sai wrote: 'Chhattisgarh ki kala-sanskriti aur rangmanch ko rashtriya pehchaan dilaane waale' — hailing both awardees as artists who have carried the state's art, culture, and theatre tradition to the national stage. He called the achievement 'a moment of pride for all of Chhattisgarh' and wished the duo a bright future ahead.
The Award Behind the Honour
The Ustad Bismillah Khan Yuva Puraskar is conferred annually by the Sangeet Natak Akademi, India's apex national body for music, dance, and drama, which functions under the Ministry of Culture. The award was instituted in 2006 — the year the legendary shehnai maestro and Bharat Ratna recipient Ustad Bismillah Khan passed away — to honour his memory by spotlighting emerging performing artists, generally under the age of 40.
It is among the most visible ways the central government recognises regional artistic talent at a national level, drawing attention to forms and practitioners that might otherwise remain confined to state boundaries.
Chhattisgarh's Folk and Theatre Tradition in Focus
Chhattisgarh carries a rich performing arts heritage — from its tribal folk forms and Pandavani oral epics to a vibrant regional theatre scene. National awards like this one serve as a megaphone for that tradition, amplifying its reach well beyond the state. CM Sai's tagging of @MinOfCultureGoI in the congratulatory post underlines the state government's intent to keep that cultural dialogue with New Delhi alive and visible.
With the Sangeet Natak Akademi expected to announce its full slate of 2025 awardees, Pandey and Sahu's recognition signals that Chhattisgarh's performing arts community continues to register at the national level — one stage at a time.
Point of View
Complete with a tag to the Ministry of Culture, reflects a deliberate state-level strategy to associate the BJP government in Chhattisgarh with the promotion of regional cultural identity on a national platform. The Ustad Bismillah Khan Yuva Puraskar carries symbolic weight beyond the certificate — it links a state's folk and theatre heritage to India's mainstream cultural canon. For a state like Chhattisgarh, where tribal and folk traditions remain politically and socially significant, such recognition from the Sangeet Natak Akademi doubles as soft-power currency. Expect the state to leverage this recognition in its cultural-tourism and artist-welfare messaging in the months ahead.
NationPress
20 Oct 2026
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the Ustad Bismillah Khan Yuva Puraskar?
The Ustad Bismillah Khan Yuva Puraskar is an annual award given by the Sangeet Natak Akademi, India's national academy for performing arts, to recognise emerging young talent in music, dance, and theatre. It was instituted in 2006 in memory of shehnai legend and Bharat Ratna recipient Ustad Bismillah Khan.
Who won the Ustad Bismillah Khan Yuva Puraskar 2025 from Chhattisgarh?
Anand Kumar Pandey and Ghanshyam Sahu from Chhattisgarh were awarded the Ustad Bismillah Khan Yuva Puraskar 2025, as congratulated by Chief Minister Vishnu Deo Sai on 19 October 2026.
Which organisation confers the Bismillah Khan Yuva Puraskar?
The Sangeet Natak Akademi, India's apex national body for music, dance, and drama under the Ministry of Culture, confers the Ustad Bismillah Khan Yuva Puraskar each year.
Why is Chhattisgarh CM Vishnu Deo Sai congratulating these artists?
CM Vishnu Deo Sai congratulated Anand Kumar Pandey and Ghanshyam Sahu because their national recognition through a prestigious central government award reflects positively on Chhattisgarh's performing arts heritage and cultural standing.
What is the significance of the Ustad Bismillah Khan Yuva Puraskar for regional artists?
The award provides national visibility to artists from India's diverse regional traditions. For states like Chhattisgarh with rich folk and tribal performing arts, recognition through this Sangeet Natak Akademi honour brings their cultural heritage to a pan-India audience.
