Family members and disciples of iconic folk dancer of Bihar, Vishwa Bandhu, on Monday (January 26, 2026) expressed happiness over his selection for the Padma Shri award posthumously.
Bandhu is one of the three persons from Bihar whose names have been announced by the Central government for the Padma Awards.
“We are extremely happy that the Padma Shree Award will be bestowed upon him posthumously. Had this happened in his lifetime, it would have been fantastic,” Arpana Kumari, the youngest daughter of Vishwa Bandhu, told PTI.
Full list of Padma Awards 2026
“He had dedicated his entire life to art… he had hoped for this recognition,” she said.
Kumari said he ventured into folk dance at “a very young age” when it was difficult for boys to take up dance as a career.
Vishwa Bandhu’s disciple, Jitendra Kumar Chaurasia, said, “My dream has come true with this recognition. It was my heartfelt desire that he should receive it. This feels like our own achievement, an achievement for the art world of Bihar.” Chaurasia asserted that Vishwa Bandhu provided a modern touch to the traditional folk dances of Bihar.
“By adding creativity and innovation to Bihar’s traditional dance forms, he gave those a new dimension that became very popular among the masses,” Chaurasia said.
Bandhu, a pioneering figure in Bihar’s folk dance tradition, mesmerised audiences with over 6,000 performances and played a key role in empowering rural communities by offering free training.
Agriculture scientist Gopalji Trivedi and Bhojpuri folk singer Bharat Singh Bharti were the two other persons from the state who were named for the country’s fourth-highest civilian honours.
Published – January 26, 2026 10:18 am IST
