Gurus, artistes and official staff of Jawaharlal Nehru Manipur Dance Academy (JNMDA) on Friday strongly condemned the allegation raised by a student body that the present director-in-charge of JNMDA was incompetent.
One of the gurus at JNMDA, Nameirakpam Ongbi Hemolata Amaibi told reporters at the open auditorium of the institute that they strongly condemned the "false allegations" made without having any knowledge of the qualification of present director-in-charge of JNMDA Pukhrambam Bilash.
After the former director of the institution retired, Bilash was appointed as the new director-in-charge after a unanimous decision taken by employees of JNMDA, Ministry of Culture and Sangeet Natak Akademi, New Delhi, she said. This procedure has been continuing for the institution from the past, she added.
She said that at present, a regular chairman; vice chairman and secretary of Sangeet Natak Akademi (SNA) are yet to be appointed. They will automatically appoint a regular director after forming a general council after the appointment of the said posts, said Hemolata.
The curriculum vitae of P Bilash Singh mentioned that he completed his master’s degree in Manipuri from Manipur University, Canchipur in 2012; completed 3 years post diploma course in Lai Haraoba from JNMDA, Imphal; completed 3 years diploma course in Thang-Ta from Huiyen Lalong Manipur Thang Ta Cultural Association, Irilbung, Imphal East.
He is also an ‘A’ grade artiste of DDK National, New Delhi; empanelled artiste of Indian Council of Cultural Relations (ICCR), New Delhi; Manipur State Kala Academy Awardee and Ustad Bismillah Khan Yuva Puraskar, 2015 awardee.
Hemolata continued that Bilash has been taking various initiatives for the welfare of the institution. Under his initiative, the number of students for the institution has also increased to 600 from only 160 students, she said.
Amid the pandemic, various solo dance festivals, tribal dance festival, festival of dance drama, festival of Nat Sankritan, Maha Dhumen, Maha Rass and others had been organised to motivate the artiste under the initiative of Bilash, she added.
She further said one should avoid making such allegations to a cultural institution without having proper knowledge. She further appealed to the general public not to defame an institution that has been functioning smoothly and constructively.
