Renowned Bangladeshi singer Rezwana Chowdhury Bannya received the prestigious Padma Shri Award on Monday. The President of India Droupadi Murmu presented the Padma Vibhushan, Padma Bhushan, and Padma Shri Awards for the year 2024 at the Civil Investiture Ceremony held at Rashtrapati Bhavan in New Delhi.

Rezwana Choudhury Bannya received the award for her contribution in the field of Art. An accomplished professional singer from Bangladesh, she is a devoted practitioner of Rabindra Sangeet. She sang “Vaishnav Jan To” to commemorate the 150th Birth Anniversary of Mahatma Gandhi.

Bannya is currently Professor and founding chair of the Department of Dance at the University of Dhaka. She runs ‘Shurer Dhara’, a prestigious music school in Dhaka with a focus on Rabindra Sangeet. She has written a few books on Rabindra Sangeet as well.

He is an alumni of Vishwa Bharati, Shantiniketan. Rezwana Choudhury Bannya’s Padma Shri award serves as a testament to her unwavering dedication to the art of Rabindra Sangeet and her significant role in preserving and promoting cultural heritage across borders.

By Navalsang Parmar (Dhaka)