Tezpur, Jan. 17: Singer Mridula Das and music director Ramen Choudhury were conferred with Shilpi Bota (award) by chief minister Sarbananda Sonowal on Shilpi Divas today, which marks the death anniversary of cultural icon and freedom fighter Jyoti Prasad Agarwala.

The duo were honoured for their outstanding contribution to the field of Assamese art and culture at a function at Borghuli playground in Biswanath district today.

Sonowal announced that his government would take steps for preservation of Chitraban Studio located at Bholaguri tea estate, which was set up by Agarwala for shooting his film Joymoti in 1933, in a bid to acquaint the young generation and take his work to the world.

He said the government would also preserve the old Gohpur police station, which witnessed the supreme sacrifice of freedom fighters Kanaklata Barua and Mukunda Kakoti during the Quit India Movement in 1942.

Sonowal said his government would institute an award in the name of Vaishnavite cultural icon Sonit Konwar Gajen Baruah from this year.

The chief minister urged the youths to emulate Agarwala's ideals and described him as an artiste par excellence whose immense contribution had enriched Assamese art and culture.

He unveiled a statue of Agarwala at Bholaguri and visited the Chitraban Studio. Sonowal also laid the foundation stone of Kanaklata Baruah auditorium to be constructed at Rupkonwar Jyotiprasad Agarwala Memorial Park and a circuit house at Gohpur to be constructed by the public works department.

State irrigation minister Ranjit Dutta, cultural affairs minister Naba Kumar Doley, labour minister Pallab Lochan Das, Tezpur MP R.P. Sarmah and MLAs Utpal Bora, Pramod Borthakur, Padma Hazarika, family members of Agarwala and senior government officials were present.