Shillong, May 9: The President of India, Droupadi Murmu conferred Padma Shri to Silbi Passah in the field of Art from Meghalaya during Civil Investiture Ceremony in New Delhi, on Thursday.
Passah, a resident of Riatsamthiah, here Meghalaya, is a retired Hindi teacher, a resource person of Sarva Shiksha Abhiyan (SSA) and DERT (Directorate of Educational Research & Training) and a renowned artist and at the same time assisting SCERT, DERT, in connection with training the teachers in art and craft, acting, dancing and singing. Her domain is socially useful, productive work (SUPW) and music. She also has trained many in Institute of Khasi Jaintia Folk songs and Traditional Musical Instruments.
Born on March 3, 1952, Passah completed her Bachelor in Hindi and joined service as a hindi teacher at Khasi Jaintia National Government Upper Primary School, Mawkhar Shillong in 1982. To promote Hindi, she also took part in a Radio Programme, “Hindi Lesson”, broadcasted by All India Radio Shillong (AIRS). Thus in 2005, she was deputed to Central Institute of Hindi (Agra) for preparation of Hindi- Khasi Contrastive Grammar.
Passah has a keen interest in promoting music and culture in the state. Through the department of arts and culture in collaboration with (NEZCC) North East Zone Cultural Centre, she and her troupe have had opportunities to participate in different octave festivals organized by various zones of the country like South Zone Cultural Centre, South West Zone Cultural Central, West Zone etc. It is through these platforms she tried her level best to showcase the rich cultural heritage of Meghalaya. She is the first Khasi woman to produce the Hindi Skit titled “Hindi Bhasha Hamari Rashtra Bhasha Hai” telecast in the Doordarshan Kendra Shillong. Recently her troupe has also presented traditional dance form at the “Adi Shaurya Parv Parakram ka” 2023.
In recognition of Passah’s service, devotion and dedication, she received various awards in various fields. She was awarded the District Certificate of Honour by the State Government 2001, Seng Khasi, Seng Kmie Honorary Award (2008); State award (2005); People’s Choice Award NETV (2005); National Award for teachers (2006); Jeebon Roy Award (2008); Khasi Jaintia Welfare Award (2009); International Gold Star Award (Bangkok 2010); Seng Samla Seng Kmie Honorary Award (2011); Lady of Hope (Cape Town South Africa) (2012); U Tirot Sing Award for Arts and Literature (Meghalaya 2014); Youth Affair Award (2019); 4th Northeast Unsung Heroes red carpet social award (2021) and Sangeet Natak Academic Award (2021).
Chief Minister Conrad Sangma, who attended the ceremony in New Delhi, congratulated Passah.
