Shillong, Sep 15: The Vice-President of India, Jagdeep Dhankhar will present the one-time Sangeet Natak Akademi Amrit Award to Gloucester Nongbet on Saturday.
The awards are presented on the occasion of Azadi Ka Amrit Mahotsav to 84 artists from the field of performing arts of India who are above the age of 75 years and haven’t been accorded any national honour in their career so far.
The award to Nongbet is under folk music category.
Born on 8 July 1938 in Shillong, Nongbet was initiated in the field of folk music of Meghalaya at an early age. He is a retired IRS officer of the Department of Customs.
Nongbet is a passionate and accomplished folk singer, composer, and a musician with specialization in duitara- a string musical instrument of the Khasi community. He is also specialized in duitara-making and can play folk music instruments like the king – a traditional percussion instrument, flute, guitar and the electronic piano with dexterity. Nongbet has written and composed more than hundred folk songs on nature, patriotism and devotional themes.
He is an ‘A’ grade artist of All India Radio and Doordarshan. He had performed within the state and other parts of the country. He has written many scripts for theatre and regional films and acted in the Khasi movie Sha Ba Sep Ka Sngi and a few others.
