GUWAHATI, April 17: In line with its corporate policy to preserve and enrich traditional art and culture, Guwahati Refinery has instituted an award – IndianOil Guwahati Refinery Luit Gaurab Award - for artistes contributing to folk art and culture of Assam.
The award carries Rs. 1 lakh and a citation, which will be awarded every year during Rongali Bihu celebration at Noonmati Bihutoli. The needy artiste will be selected by a jury of eminent achievers in art and culture of the State, a press release said. The first award has been conferred on eminent Karbi folk singer Pokhila Lekthepi by a jury of three members comprising writer Dr. Birendra Nath Datta, eminent singer Loknath Goswami and eminent composer and music director Ramen Choudhury. The 66-year-old singer from Karbi Anglong has been composing songs in Karbi language and has been an All India Radio artiste from 1987. She has recorded a number of Karbi folk songs which depict the life of Karbi people. For her outstanding achievement in the field of music, Lekthepi was also earlier honoured by Doordarshan Kendra, Guwahati.