Filmmaker Shoojit Sircar, Telugu actor Mohan Babu conferred with West Bengal Governor’s Excellence Award

KOLKATA: Filmmaker Shoojit Sircar and veteran Telugu actor Mohan Babu were awarded with the prestigious Excellence Award by West Bengal Governor CV Ananda Bose on Monday.

In a special ceremony organised on Republic Day 2026, the West Bengal Governor celebrated the contributions of the distinguished individuals, including the ‘Piku’ director and the Telugu actor.

Shoojit Sircar expressed feeling honoured on the recognition. “I am honoured, and it is a privilege. I thank Governor C V Ananda Bose for considering me for this honour and giving me this recognition. This brings more responsibility for me as a filmmaker to deliver more films that are meant for the society.”

Mohan Babu, while reflecting on his first Governor’s Award, said, “I am very happy, it is a god’s gift only. They blessed me to come here and take the first-time governor’s award… It is a great opportunity for me to take this award. Bengal is not an ordinary place… Bengal is great.”

Santoor maestro Tarun Bhattacharya, who has been conferred the Padma Shri 2026 in the field of art, also received the Governor’s Award on Monday.

“I was extremely happy to learn that I had been selected for the Padma Shri. This is a great honour… For this, I offer gratitude to the Prime Minister and the Government of India. But an award also means responsibility. When you receive an award, the responsibility increases. I have to fulfil this responsibility, so from today onwards, I will try to play the santoor even better,” he said.

President Droupadi Murmu on Sunday approved the conferment of 131 Padma awards, including two duo cases counted as single awards, and Bollywood actor Dharmendra Singh Deol and former Kerala Chief Minister VS Achuthanandan as recipients of the Padma Vibhushan posthumously. (ANI)