Assamese art director, sculptor and stage designer Nuruddin Ahmed was conferred the Padma Shri by President Droupadi Murmu at Rashtrapati Bhavan on June 23, 2026, for his contribution to Art. Born in Sathikuchi, Nalbari district, Ahmed has devoted more than four decades to stagecraft, sculpture, films and cultural projects.
The Government of India credits him with designing stagecraft for more than 450 mobile theatre plays and providing art direction for around 5,600 plays in different languages. Ahmed has also received the Sangeet Natak Akademi Award for Allied Theatre Arts, Stage Craft, in 2017.
Speaking about the honour, he described himself as a “simple man, a villager and an ordinary artist” and said the recognition had increased his responsibility towards society. His family, including his wife Junu Rajkhowa and younger son Deep Ahmed, witnessed the ceremony. Ahmed now hopes to establish a museum and art school to support the next generation of artists.
A Lifetime In Stagecraft
Nuruddin Ahmed’s Padma Shri recognises a career that has played a significant role in shaping the visual language of Assam’s theatre and cultural landscape. The Government of India describes him as a visionary art director, sculptor and set designer who helped introduce modern techniques in sculpture and stagecraft while combining traditional aesthetics with contemporary design.
Born on December 1, 1959, in Sathikuchi in Nalbari district, Ahmed began his professional journey as a teacher at Lakhimpur Art School in 1978. He later studied at the JJ College of Arts in Mumbai and trained in innovative sculpture techniques at Garhi Studio under the Lalit Kala Akademi in New Delhi. His artistic training also included modern sculpture and puppetry, experiences that helped shape his approach to stage and visual design.
Over the years, his work extended beyond theatre into films, television, public installations and monumental sculptures. According to the official Padma citation, Ahmed has dedicated more than 49 years to the arts and designed stagecraft for over 450 mobile theatre plays, while providing art direction for around 5,600 plays in different languages.
The scale of this work has made him an important figure in Assam’s mobile theatre movement, where elaborate sets and visual storytelling are central to creating an immersive experience for audiences. Speaking after receiving the Padma Shri, Ahmed said, “I am a simple man, a villager and an ordinary artist,” adding that the honour had made him feel that he had been considered worthy of the recognition. He also said the award had increased his responsibility towards society. His remarks underline the personal significance of an honour that recognises not only his individual career, but also the artistic traditions he has spent decades helping sustain.
Recognition Built Over Decades
The Padma Shri is not Ahmed’s first major national recognition. In 2017, he was selected for the Sangeet Natak Akademi Award in the category of Allied Theatre Arts, Stage Craft. The Akademi’s official records list him among the awardees for theatre, placing his contribution alongside recognised practitioners of direction, acting, lighting and other forms of stagecraft.
The award acknowledged sustained work in a field that often remains behind the performers in public attention, despite being essential to how audiences experience a production. Ahmed’s body of work reflects that behind-the-scenes contribution. He has created stage environments and artistic installations inspired by historical monuments, landscapes and cultural subjects. His creations have included artistic representations of places such as Indraprastha, the Great Wall of China and the Colosseum. His work has also reached public and ceremonial spaces in Assam. Alongside his sons, he contributed to the stage design for Assam Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma’s second-term swearing-in ceremony.
His younger son Deep Ahmed has followed the family’s artistic tradition while developing his own work in theatre, drama, films and stagecraft. Deep, who attended the Padma award ceremony, described the occasion as one of the most memorable moments in the family’s history and said seeing his father receive the honour was a matter of immense pride. Ahmed has also spoken with pride about his sons, saying, “My sons are doing even better work than I am.” The family’s involvement reflects another aspect of Ahmed’s legacy: the passing of artistic knowledge and interest from one generation to the next.
His wife Junu Rajkhowa, younger son Deep Ahmed and elder daughter-in-law Rasna Devi were present to witness the national recognition. Ahmed had previously received the Kamal Lal Memorial Award for stage design in 2005 before the Sangeet Natak Akademi recognition in 2017. The Government of India’s 2026 Padma citation now places the latest honour within a long record of professional contribution to theatre, sculpture and visual culture.
Art That Looks To The Future
Ahmed’s work has also continued beyond the stage, with sculpture becoming another important part of his artistic expression. His recent work included a full-length statue of Assamese singer and cultural icon Zubeen Garg, created at his own expense as a tribute. The sculpture drew public attention in Assam and was displayed in Kahilipara after its completion. Ahmed’s connection with cultural preservation also extends to his plans for the future. He intends to establish a museum near his residence in Kahilipara, along with an art school where aspiring artists and sculptors can learn and develop their skills.
His Rajdeep Studio in Kahilipara is already described by the family as a platform for artists, sculptors and other creative professionals, providing training as well as employment opportunities. These plans are significant because Ahmed’s career has been rooted in a form of art that depends heavily on practical skills, craftsmanship and knowledge passed between generations. Mobile theatre, stage design and large-scale sculpture require teams of artists and technicians, yet many of the people who build these visual worlds remain outside the public spotlight. Ahmed’s journey demonstrates how such work can become a lifelong profession and eventually receive national recognition.
His Padma Shri also highlights the contribution of Assam’s artists to India’s wider cultural landscape. For Ahmed, however, the recognition appears to be less a conclusion than another responsibility. His statement that the award has increased his responsibility towards society is consistent with his plans to create spaces where young people can learn art and stagecraft. The recognition therefore connects three stages of his journey: learning as a young artist, building a vast body of work across theatre and sculpture, and now creating opportunities for others to pursue the same path.
The Logical Indian’s Perspective
Nuruddin Ahmed’s story reminds us that cultural work is not limited to what appears in front of an audience. Behind every theatre production, public installation or cultural performance are artists, designers, craftspeople and technicians whose creativity helps preserve collective memory and give communities a way to tell their stories.
His journey from Assam to one of India’s highest civilian honours also shows why recognition must extend beyond the most visible names in the arts. Equally important is what Ahmed wants to do with his experience next. By planning an art school and museum and supporting young artists through Rajdeep Studio, he is looking beyond personal achievement towards creating opportunities for others.
At a time when traditional artistic practices face pressure from changing tastes and economic realities, investing in skills, mentorship and accessible creative spaces can help ensure that cultural knowledge continues to evolve rather than disappear. The Logical Indian believes that celebrating artists such as Ahmed is ultimately about celebrating the diversity of India itself, where regional traditions, contemporary ideas and individual creativity can coexist and enrich one another.
His recognition is a reminder that perseverance can create a lasting cultural legacy, but that legacy becomes even more meaningful when it is shared with the next generation. What can India do to give more visibility and opportunities to the artists who work behind the scenes to keep our cultural traditions alive?
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