New Delhi

Junagadh based senior Gujarati folklore artist Shri Bhikhubhai Gadhvi today received Padma award from President Dr Pranab Mukherjee at Rashtrapati Bhawan in Delhi today in presence of Prime Minister Shri Narendra Modi, Vice President Shri Hamid Ansari, Home Minister Shri Rajnath Singh, senior BJP leader Shri L.K. Advani among others.

Born in Junagadh district’s Manekwadi village near Keshod, Shri Gadhvi is active on stage for last 41 years. He started narrating folk tales in public when he was jsut 20. Bhikhudhanbhai’s 350 audio cassettes including ‘Bhadanu Makan’, ‘Khandaninu Khamir’ are widely in circulation across Gujarat, especially in Saurashtra belt. He has given his programmes in countries including America, Britain, Indonesia among others.

Shri Gadhvi used to read Shri Zaverchand Meghani and Shri Dula Bhaya Kag with great interest in his teen-age. When he grew up he started exploring the land of Saurashtra himself to learn more about the folk culture and treasure of folk literature. “This exploration went on for years and it’s still going on,” Gadhvi told DeshGujarat.

– DeshGujarat