Binita Devi
Binita Devi | |
|---|---|
| Born | 1986 (age 39–40) |
| Occupations |
|
| Known for | Putola nach (Assamese traditional puppetry) |
| Awards | Ustad Bismillah Khan Yuva Puraskar (2022) |
Binita Devi (born 1986) is an Indian puppeteer from Assam known for her work in putola nach, the traditional puppet theatre of the state.[1] She co-runs Surojit Academy, a performing-arts school in Guwahati, and received the Ustad Bismillah Khan Yuva Puraskar from the Sangeet Natak Akademi for 2022 for her contribution to puppetry.[2]
Early life and training
Binita Devi was born in Guwahati, Assam, in 1986.[3] As a teenager training to become a stage actor, she saw a puppet drama performed at the Srimanta Sankaradev Kalakshetra, a cultural institution run by the Assam government's Department of Cultural Affairs, in 2003, and decided to learn puppetry there.[1] The institution trained her free of cost; she learned rod puppetry from Archana Talukdar and glove puppetry from Akan Deka.[1] In 2005 she received a two-year scholarship for young artists from the Ministry of Culture, Government of India, and used it to travel to Mohkhali, a village in Nalbari district, to learn string puppetry from Bani Kanta Barman.[1]
Career
Devi runs Surojit Academy, a performing and folk-arts school on the campus of Assam Engineering College in Guwahati, together with her husband, Simanta Sharma.[1] The school teaches puppetry, acting, the Assamese folk dance Bihu, and the classical dance form Sattriya; Devi has trained 22 students in puppetry.[1] Her troupe, eight members who together write, direct, compose music for, and perform their productions, stages five or six shows a month during Assam's puppetry season, which runs from September to March.[1] Her productions include Bishnu Prasad Rabha, Srimanta Sankardevor Sishu Kaal, Lotkon, Champawati, Ravana Badh and Tejimola.[1]
Her largest production is Ram Vijay, a puppet adaptation of a bhaona (one-act play) by the Assamese saint-reformer Sankardev, depicting the Sita Swayamvara episode of the Ramayana in which Rama strings the bow of Shiva to win Sita's hand.[1] Devi began developing the piece in 2016 using string puppets, then switched to rod puppets after finding it difficult to match the puppets' movements to the accompanying Sattriya music; she subsequently learned Sattriya dance herself to complete the production, a process that took about four years.[1] The finished piece runs for about 30 minutes and uses 23 puppets and 17 performers.[1][4]
Awards and recognition
| Year | Award | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| 2013 | Junior Fellowship | Ministry of Culture, Government of India, for work on magnetic puppetry.[5] |
| 2022 | Ustad Bismillah Khan Yuva Puraskar | Sangeet Natak Akademi, for contribution to puppetry; announced February 2024 and conferred at a ceremony in New Delhi in November 2024.[2][6] |
References
- 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 Boruah, Maitreyee (2024-05-13). "How an Assamese puppeteer is trying to save 'putola nach' with strings of innovation and passion". The Federal. Retrieved 2026-08-24.
- 1 2 "Sangeet Natak Akademi Fellowship, Sangeet Natak Akademi Awards and Ustad Bismillah Khan Yuva Puraskar for the years 2022 and 2023" (PDF) (Press release). Sangeet Natak Akademi. 2024-02-27. Retrieved 2026-08-24.
- ↑ "Binita Devi". Surojit Academy. Retrieved 2026-08-24.
- ↑ "Assam: Puppet Plays Champawati and Ravana Badh Staged in Guwahati City". The Sentinel. 2024-10-14. Retrieved 2026-08-24.
- ↑ "Binita Devi awarded all India Junior Fellowship from the Ministry of Culture". Times of Assam. 2013-10-13. Retrieved 2026-08-24.
- ↑ "5 Assam Artists Among 82 Conferred with Ustad Bismillah Khan Yuva Puraskar". Pratidin Time. 2024-11-22. Retrieved 2026-08-24.