Tripura artist Raju Mog returns home with Ustad Bismillah Khan Yuva Puraskar

Cultural artist Raju Mog arrived at Jolaibari Railway Station at 8.30 pm on Saturday to a crowd of well-wishers, days after winning the Ustad Bismillah Khan Yuva Puraskar 2025 for his work promoting the traditional Sangrai dance of the Mog community.

The award, instituted by the Sangeet Natak Akademi, recognises young practitioners for their contribution to the performing arts. For Mog, a resident of Bir Chandra Manu in South Tripura's Santirbazar subdivision, it marks national recognition of a dance form that has rarely travelled beyond the state's borders.

Members of social and cultural organisations gathered at the station to felicitate him, greeting the artist with flower bouquets and garlands. The welcome, community members said, was about more than one man's honour.

What does the award change for the Mog community?

Community representatives described the prize as a significant milestone — not merely a personal achievement for Raju but an honour for the community's cultural heritage as a whole. They said national-level recognition would give greater visibility to traditional art forms passed down through generations.

That visibility matters. Sangrai dance belongs to the Mog community, one of Tripura's indigenous groups, and Raju has spent several years performing it on platforms across the country. Coming from a modest family background, he has worked to preserve indigenous dance forms, folklore and cultural traditions, and his efforts to showcase the community's art beyond Tripura have drawn appreciation from cultural organisations and enthusiasts.

Speaking to reporters after his arrival, Raju thanked the individuals and organisations who supported his artistic journey. He acknowledged the contributions of community organisations, media personnel and his mentors, saying their encouragement had motivated him to continue working towards the preservation and promotion of Mog cultural traditions.

A quieter question behind the celebration

The citation honours promotion and preservation — two words that do not always sit comfortably together. Performing a ritual dance on national platforms raises its profile; it also detaches it from the community occasions that gave it meaning. The source reports the celebrations and the hopes, but not how the Mog community intends to sustain the tradition at home, or whether the award carries any institutional support for that work.

What is documented is the response. Cultural circles across Tripura have welcomed the achievement, and many have expressed hope that it will inspire more young people to take an active interest in indigenous art forms. Whether that inspiration converts into a new generation of practitioners remains, for now, an open question.

For the Mog community and for Tripura, the award stands as a moment of pride — and a test of whether national attention can be turned into lasting support for the state's diverse cultural traditions.