Agartala, Oct 19: Tripura’s indigenous cultural heritage has received national recognition with young folk artist Raju Mog winning the prestigious Ustad Bismillah Khan Yuva Puraskar 2025 for his contribution to Sangrain dance, a traditional art form associated with the Mog community.

The award recognises Raju’s nearly two decades of dedication to practising, preserving and promoting the traditional dance form, helping bring the cultural legacy of Tripura’s indigenous communities to a wider audience.

Raju received the honour from Union Minister for Culture and Tourism Gajendra Singh Shekhawat at a ceremony held on Monday at the Meghdoot Theatre Complex in Rabindra Bhavan, New Delhi. The presentation included a traditional angavastram and a copper plaque.

Coming from the hilly areas of Tripura, Raju has steadily built his reputation as a practitioner and promoter of Sangrain dance. His artistic journey has taken him to more than 300 cultural programmes at the state level and over 100 national-level events and performances, providing opportunities to showcase the state’s traditional performing arts beyond its geographical boundaries.

The national recognition marks an important milestone in his career and highlights the role of individual artists in keeping indigenous cultural traditions alive. For the Mog community, the achievement is also a source of collective pride, bringing greater visibility to its distinctive artistic heritage.

Following the award ceremony, Raju expressed gratitude to the people who supported and guided him throughout his journey. He acknowledged the contributions of his family, teachers, colleagues, well-wishers and members of the Mog community, emphasising that the honour reflected their collective encouragement.

He also paid special tribute to his maternal uncle, Congthing Mog, and his guru, Krairi Mog Choudhury, along with other mentors whose guidance, he said, had been instrumental in shaping his artistic career.

A total of 55 young artists from across the country were honoured in five categories at the ceremony, recognising their contributions to various fields of art and culture.

Raju Mog’s achievement places Tripura’s traditional performing arts in the national spotlight and underscores the importance of nurturing indigenous talent. 

His recognition also serves as an encouragement to younger generations to remain connected with their cultural roots while taking their artistic traditions to larger platforms.