Balangir: Odissi exponent Saswat Joshi was conferred the Kumuda Samman at the Kumuda Mahotsav-2018 that started at the High School Ground in Titilagarh on Friday evening.

The dancer was conferred the honour for his contribution in the field of Odissi. Joshi, hails from Titilagarh, settled in Bhubaneswar to pursue his career. He is the founder of Lasyakala Institute of Performing Arts, where many new talents are being groomed. Under the banner of the institute, Ekalavya Dance Festival is being organised every year to felicitate new talents, experts and critics of Odissi.

State film-maker Jitendra Mishra, athlete Sadananda Nayak, software engineer Subreat Parida and lawyer Radhakanta Padhi were also honoured with the award.

Koshali poet Padmashree Haldhar Nag entertained the audience with his popular poems at the event. He said: "Every individual has an artiste in him. All one needs is a platform to express."

The highlight of the evening was the Odissi performance by Saswat Joshi and his troupe, which enthralled the audience by their performance Ahe Nila Saila, a popular bhajan written by Salabega and dedicated to Lord Jagannath. Other performances of the evening included, Nava Durga dance by Singham troupe from Banki, Gotipua dance from Puri, Dhemsa folk dance from Rayagada and Rasarkeli and a Sambalpuri dance by Saswat Joshi and his troupe.