Daulat Rahman/Guwahati

Four months after receiving the Padma Shri, one of India's highest civilian honours, renowned art director and sculptor Nuruddin Ahmed has been selected for the Assam Saurabh Award 2025, the state’s highest civilian award.

Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma announced on Friday evening that the state government had decided to confer the coveted honour on Ahmed in recognition of his outstanding and enduring contributions to art, stage design, sculpture and cultural preservation.

Ahmed will receive the award from Assam Governor Lakshman Prasad Acharya at an official ceremony scheduled for December this year.

Reacting to the announcement with characteristic humility, Ahmed expressed his heartfelt gratitude to the state government.

"I am a simple man, a villager and an ordinary artist. I feel honoured that the Assam government has considered me worthy of this recognition. At the same time, I believe that receiving this award after the Padma Shri has further increased my responsibility towards society," he said.

Graphic representation of Kishkindha city as created by Nuruddin Ahmed for Puja Pandal

For nearly five decades, Ahmed has devoted his life to artistic creativity, transforming imagination into spectacular visual experiences and earning a place among Assam's most celebrated artists.

His artistic legacy has also found worthy successors in his two sons, both of whom have established their own identities in theatre, stagecraft and visual arts.

Ahmed said it gives him immense personal satisfaction to see his sons successfully carve out their own places in the creative world while carrying forward the family's artistic tradition.

Over the decades, Ahmed's creative genius has breathed life into countless historical monuments, iconic landscapes, classical artworks and life-size statues of distinguished personalities. His ability to recreate history, mythology and imagination through intricate artistic craftsmanship has earned him widespread admiration.

Most recently, he captivated audiences with his magnificent recreation of Kishkindha Nagri, the legendary kingdom of the Vanara kings in the epic Ramayana, for the Bishnupur Bimala Nagar Sarbajanin Durga Puja pandal, organised by the Sunflower Club in Guwahati.

President Droupadi Murmu presenting Padma Shri on Nuruddin Ahmed

The spectacular creation, which drew huge crowds and widespread public appreciation, was hailed as a masterpiece of artistic imagination and craftsmanship.

It marked the fourth year of Ahmed designing Durga Puja pandals, and winning the affection and admiration of festival-goers.

Kishkindha occupies a significant place in the Ramayana. According to the epic, the legendary city was the capital of the Vanara king Bali and his brother Sugriva. Following Bali's death in battle, Sugriva, along with his trusted adviser Hanuman, allied with Lord Rama in his mission to rescue Sita from Lanka.

Ahmed's recreation of this mythical kingdom brought an ancient epic to life, offering visitors an immersive experience that blended mythology, history and artistic imagination.

From turning childhood dreams into breathtaking artistic realities to redefining the visual language of theatre, Ahmed's journey has been one of relentless innovation, dedication and excellence.

His contribution to Assam's celebrated mobile theatre movement remains particularly monumental. His name occupies a distinguished place in its history, having played a pioneering role in elevating stage design and theatrical presentation to new artistic heights.

He has designed stage sets for more than 450 mobile theatre productions and provided art direction for nearly 5,600 plays across multiple Indian languages — an extraordinary achievement that remains virtually unparalleled in the world of Indian theatre.

Yet, beyond the grandeur of his creations and the impressive scale of his accomplishments, it is Ahmed's simplicity that continues to endear him to colleagues, admirers and generations of artists.

ALSO READ: Nuruddin Ahmed creates Kishkindha of Ramayan for Puja pandal

Despite receiving some of the country's and the state's most prestigious honours, Padma Shri Nuruddin Ahmed remains deeply rooted in his humble beginnings, guided by an unwavering passion for his craft and a profound sense of responsibility towards society.