Barle gets Padma Shri for promotion of Chhattisgarh’s folk dance form

Radhe Shyam Barle, 54, has been awarded Padma Shri, India’s fourth-highest civilian award, for his contribution to art. A resident of Chhattisgarh’s Durg, Barle has been associated with the state’s Panthi folk dance since his childhood. He has also taught the dance across the country and abroad.

Panthi is mainly performed by men of the Santnami community during Magh Purnima on the birth anniversary of Guru Ghasidas. The songs are based on the teachings of Guru Ghasidas, Kabir and other spiritual poets. Barle has performed at various national and international events in the past two decades.

Barle’s contribution to the dance form has been such that there are around 50,000 Panthi artistes in the state today. Panthi dance has made its mark not only in India but in 70 countries of the world.

Born on October 9, 1966, in Khola village of Patan tehsil of Durg district, Barle, apart from an MBBS degree, also holds a diploma in folk music from Indira Kala Sangeet University.

He has also presented various public welfare programmes through this traditional folk dance, including prohibition of dowry, Clean India campaign and had also performed around 200 stage presentations on women empowerment, terrorism, and separatism etc.

Barle has also been awarded with state’s Guru Ghasidas Social Consciousness Award and Dalit Upliftment Award, Devdas Banjare Award, Dr. Bhawar Singh Tribal Seva Samman, Social Harmony Award, Kalasadak Samman, and Dau Mahasing Chandrakar Award, to name a few.

Chhattisgarh chief minister Baghel said that Dr Barle has made the state and the country proud with the practice of his art.

“Through Panthi dance, Dr Barle has made an invaluable contribution in spreading the message of Baba Guru Ghasidas across the country and world,” said Baghel’s office in a statement.