Keonjhar: Eminent puppeteer and Padma Shri awardee Maguni Charan Kuanr has been hospitalized at Keonjhar District Headquarter Hospital on Tuesday. According to his sources, the renowned puppeteer was rushed to hospital after he felt unwell due to unbearable humidity.
Earlier on April 2, he was admitted at KIMS Hospital in Bhubaneswar after his health condition deteriorated. It is to be noted here that Kuanr was leading a lonely life after losing both of his sons, while elder son died a few days back, his younger son had died a few years back.
Kuanr, who was born in 1937 in Keonjhar and belongs to a family of traditional puppeteers, was conferred with the prestigious Padma Shri award by President Droupadi Murmu for the year 2023 for his unique contribution in the field.
His works has been documented by various prominent organizations in India and also in foreign countries. He has also received the Sangeet Natak Akademi Award for his contribution to the traditional puppetry of the state.
Notably, Maguni Charan Kuanr was inspired from his father Baishnab Charan Kuanr for doing puppetry. He has excelled in his vocation as a puppeteer and has contributed to the recognition of Kandhei Nach beyond Orissa. He has established a troupe of his own in Keonjhar. Like many traditional puppeteers, he is the creator of his own puppets, the designer of costumes, and the narrator of the plays performed.
