Padma Shri Award-Winning Puppeteer Maguni Charan Kuanr Passes Away, President Droupadi Murmu Pays Condolences

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Bhubaneswar: Renowned puppeteer Maguni Charan Kuanr of Odisha's Keonjhar has died. He was in his 80s. President Droupadi Murmu paid her heartfelt condolences to the bereaved family of Maguni Charan Kuanr.

"Sad to learn about the demise of Shri Maguni Charan Kuanr, an eminent puppeteer from Keonjhar, Odisha. He was awarded the Padma Shri for the promotion of the traditional puppet dance form. He leaves behind an inspiring legacy. Condolences to his family, friends and admirers," a post on the official X account of the President of India read.

ଓଡ଼ିଶାର ବିଶିଷ୍ଟ କଣ୍ଢେଇ ନୃତ୍ୟଗୁରୁ ଶ୍ରୀ ମାଗୁଣି ଚରଣ କୁଅଁରଙ୍କ ବିୟୋଗରେ ମୁଁ ଅତ୍ୟନ୍ତ ମର୍ମାହତ । ପାରମ୍ପରିକ କଣ୍ଢେଇ ନୃତ୍ୟର ପ୍ରଚାର ପ୍ରସାର ପାଇଁ ସେ ପଦ୍ମଶ୍ରୀ ସମ୍ମାନରେ ସମ୍ମାନିତ ହୋଇଥିଲେ । ସେ ଛାଡ଼ିଯାଇଥିବା ପଦଚିହ୍ନ ସର୍ବଦା ପ୍ରେରଣାର ଉତ୍ସ ହୋଇ ରହିବ । ତାଙ୍କ ଶୋକସନ୍ତପ୍ତ ପରିବାର, ବନ୍ଧୁ-ପରିଜନ ଓ ପ୍ରଶଂସକମାନଙ୍କୁ… pic.twitter.com/fGeocmogtK — President of India (@rashtrapatibhvn) June 1, 2024

Over the last seven decades, Kuanr created his own puppets, designed costumes and narrated the plays while experimenting with different sizes of puppets.

In 2023, he received Padma Shri, one of the highest civilian awards of the country, for his lifelong contribution to the field of art for keeping alive the art of rod puppetry.

He was also a recipient of the Odisha Sangeet Natak Akademi Award, Kabi Samrat Upendra Bhanja Samman from Odisha Sangeet Natak Akademi as well as the Kendriya Sangeet Natak Akademi award.