Mandavi has not just preserved the cultural heritage of Bastar for the past five decades but also given it a new identity. His distinct contribution remains in the creation of a bamboo Bastar flute popularly cited as ‘Sulur’.He is also credited for taking creative activity and artwork at the national and global level through the notable embossed paintings, sculptures and other fine art craft on wooden panels.The tribal artist was barely 12 years old when he began learning the art from his ancestors and with his passion and skill, Mandavi took the artwork and culture of Chhattisgarh’s Bastar region to a newer height.As a cultural ambassador, the Muria wood carver Mandavi has exhibited his masterpiece art in more than eight countries. Twelve years ago, he was bestowed with the prestigious J Swaminathan Puraskaram award by the Kerala government’s Lalithalaka Akademi.Through his consistent endeavour and workshops, he has gone ahead to take the tradition to new generations by training over a thousand artisans.Chief Minister Vishnu Deo Sai extended his compliment to Pandi Ram Mandavi for being honoured with the esteemed Padma Shri. “Being selected for Padma Shri is an occasion of pride for Chhattisgarh. He has given a new identity to the Bastar’s cultural heritage safeguarding it with his exceptional talent”, CM Sai said in a statement posted on X.His tribal community hopes that with such recognition for Mandavi, the government will extend support and facilitate secured markets for wooden arts and products from Bastar.
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