Felicitating cinema stars from West Bengal, Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee said here on Thursday that her government would continue to recognise the contributions of artistes, literary personalities, and sportspersons.
“We want to bring to light the contributions of unsung heroes from Bengal. We started the Banga Bhushan Awards as I saw so many artistes waited for years for Padma Shri or Padma Bhushan,” Ms. Banerjee said at the Mahanayak Uttam Kumar Samman awards function at Nazrul Mancha here.
The Chief Minister said that many people despite working all the years of their life do not receive any honour and the State government has stepped in to give a boost to these artistes. The Mahanayak Uttam Kumar Samman was conceived in 2012 in the memory of Bengali film legend, late Uttam Kumar. The awards are presented on the death anniversary of the actor and Thursday was his 34th birth anniversary.
Veteran actress Moushumi Chatterjee got Mahanayika Samman. A lifetime achievement award was in store for actress Moon Moon Sen, a Lok Sabha member from the Trinamool Congress. Another MP of the ruling party, Dev alias Deepak Adhikari, a popular Bengali actor, was conferred Mahanayak Samman in the male category.
Several other actors were also presented special film awards (male) and special film awards (female) and lifetime achievement awards. Singer Kumar Sanu was awarded a lifetime achievement award in music.
It was announced at the event that technicians working in the film studios would be brought under the health insurance scheme of the State government.
