Morari Bapu presents various awards to distinguished artists and social contributors, says seven forms of nourishment elevate human energy
TALGAJARDA, GUJARAT | 03rd APRIL 2026 — Renowned spiritual leader Morari Bapu presented awards to distinguished artists and social contributors at the Hanumant Sangeet Nritya Mahotsav, organised in Talgajarda on the occasion of Hanuman Jayanti on Wednesday. The four-day festival has been held annually for the past 49 years with Morari Bapu’s inspiration.
As part of the awards ceremony, noted Hindi film actress Shabana Azmi was conferred the prestigious Natraj Award. Expressing her gratitude, she said that while she has received numerous honours and accolades in her career, being recognised by Morari Bapu and receiving the award from him was a deeply humbling experience that further strengthened her sense of social responsibility. She emphasised that art has the power to bring about social change.
Shabana Azmi is a recipient of the Padma Shri and Padma Bhushan, along with several prestigious accolades from the film industry. She has also served as a nominated member of the Rajya Sabha.
Addressing the gathering during the concluding ceremony, Morari Bapu said it was a matter of pride for him and the organisers that accomplished artists accept their invitation and grace the event. He noted that music, instrumental performance, dance, solitude, silence, mantra and devotion, are the seven forms of nourishment in life that elevate human energy. Lord Hanuman, he said, is pleased by such expressions of art and devotion, and added that art itself is a form of spiritual nourishment that helps build bridges across different sections of society.
As in previous years, a total of 13 awards were presented to distinguished individuals from diverse fields. Among the recipients were Kannu Kulandai Sami (Sadbhavana Award), Kanu Patel (Kailash Lalitkala Award for painting), Shyamal Munshi and Soumil Munshi (Avinash Vyas Award), Vasantkumar M. Bhatt (Vachaspati – Sanskrit) Award and Shuchita Y. Mehta (Bhamati – Sanskrit) Award.
Other recipients of the Natraj Award include Ramesh B. Nayak (Bhavai), Arvind Vaidya (theatre) and Kanwarjit Paintal (television).
The Hanumant awards were presented to Guru Ratikant Mohapatra (Odissi), Ojas Adhia (tabla), Debashish Bhattacharya (instrumental – guitar), and Kaushiki Chakraborty (classical vocal).
Each award included a cash prize and a citation, honouring the recipients for their contributions to art and knowledge.
The ceremony was attended by several eminent spiritual leaders, including Jagatguru Santoshdasji Maharaj (Varanasi), Murli Baba (Omkareshwar) and MahamandaleshwarGopalbaba (Kashi Vishwanath), along with other distinguished guests. Morari Bapu felicitated programme anchor and singer Harishchandra Joshi, recognising his 50 years of dedicated service in the field.
The event was organised under the coordination of Jaydev Mankad, with support from Nilesh Vavadiya and other contributors from the world of music.
