Imphal: Folk artist Guru AS Rawung from the Tangkhul community was among the 19 personalities conferred with Manipur State Kala Akademi (MSKA) Awards for 2021 on Monday in Imphal.
A native of border village Mapum in Ukhrul district, 57-year-old Guru Rawung was among the two tribal folk artists awarded the MSKA Award in the field of tribal culture. He received a citation, memento and a cash amount of Rs 50,000 from Governor Sushri Anusuiya Uikey at the award ceremony held at Maharaj Chandrakirti Auditorium at Palace Compound in Imphal.
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Following in the footsteps of his father, a well-known figure in the Tangkhul community in the field of folk song and story-telling, Guru Rawung developed a keen interest for the traditional music of his community from an early age.
Speaking exclusively to Ukhrul Times, Guru Rawung said that he received further training in Tangkhul folk songs and traditional musical instruments from prominent folk gurus like YL Vangam and Padma Shri Rewben Mashangva.
Conferred the title of Guru by NEZCC in October 17, 2017, Rawung is currently serving as the vice-president cum instructor at the Hao Cultural Academy in Ukhrul town.
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The Hao Cultural Academy, according to him, aimed to preserve and propagate the customs and traditions as well as folk songs and dances to the younger generations.
As a performer, Guru Rawung has showcased his talents and performed at various cultural festivals and events in the state and other parts of the country, including the Tribal Carnival Festival in New Delhi in 2016.
In 2022, he was also awarded as an achiever by the Tribal Research Institutes, Imphal in the field of folk art.
MSKA Lifetime Achievement Award-2021 was given to Kshetrimayum Randhoni Devi, a noted theater personality of Manipur, while Chabungbam Kondum Singh and Sougaijam Thanil Singh were conferred with MSKA Fellow-2021.
During the ceremony, six young artists, including Thonggin Haokip from Thadou tribe were presented the MSKA Young Talent Award 2021.
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