Ranchi, March 29: The state government today finalised the names of artistes who will get the Rajkiya Samman (State Honour) for their contributions to the field of art and culture.

The awards, which were pending for more than one-and a-half years, will be conferred on 17 artistes. The government had constituted an expert committee for recommending names of 24 artistes, out of which the government put its seal on 17 for the honours, to be given for the first time since the creation of Jharkhand.

Sources said the recipients of the honours include Chhau exponents Guru Kedar Nath Sahu (Seraikela), Shyama Charan Pati, folk artist Mukund Nayak (Ranchi), theatre person Ajay Malkani (Ranchi), painter Haren Thakur (Ranchi) and flautist Chetan Joshi (Bokaro).

All the 17 artistes will be given a shawl, Rs 10,000 in cash and a citation as a mark of honour at a function to be held here on Friday.

?It is an emotional moment for me,? said Ajay Malkani, a product of National School of Drama, from Jaipur where he is involved in a Bhojpuri film

Others on the list include Jai Narayan Samal, Lalit Mohan Roy, Bharat Nayak, Yashoda Devi, Nathu Mahato, Geeta Mitra, Hari Ram Mirdha, Laloo Shankar Malar, Putli Ganjhu, Kanhai Lal Maharana and Makhan Chandra Pal. ?We are thinking of organising the function either at Administrative Training Institute or in an open venue near Morabadi,? government sources said.

The function is likely to be attended by the culture minister, Sudesh Mahto, and department secretary Nagendra Nath Sinha.