Imphal, August 23, 2026: In a proud moment for Manipur University, Manipur and the Northeast, Dr Pukhrambam Lilabati Devi, Assistant Professor (S-3), Department of Dance and Music, Manipur University, has been selected for the prestigious National Award to Teachers 2026 by the Ministry of Education, Government of India.
According to an official communication issued by the Department of Higher Education, Ministry of Education, Dr Lilabati Devi is among 21 teachers from Higher Educational Institutions (HEIs) and Polytechnics across India selected for the national honour this year.
Significantly, only two awardees from the Northeast figure in the list — Dr Pukhrambam Lilabati Devi of Manipur University, Manipur, and Prof. Ankuran Dutta of Gauhati University, Assam — making the recognition a moment of pride for the entire region.
The National Award will be presented at Vigyan Bhawan, New Delhi, on September 5, 2026, coinciding with Teachers’ Day. Each award carries a Certificate of Merit, a cash award of ₹50,000 and a silver medal.
Dr Lilabati Devi is a teacher, researcher and practitioner of Indian classical dance whose academic career has brought together the traditions of Manipuri dance and Bharatanatyam, with particular emphasis on pedagogy, research and performance.
She holds a Master of Performing Arts (MPA) from the University of Hyderabad and a PhD in Dance from the University of Hyderabad. She also qualified the UGC-NET in Performing Arts (Dance) in December 2012.
Her doctoral research, titled “A Pedagogic Study of Two Dance Forms: A Case Study of Manipuri and Bharatanatyam,” explored the pedagogical dimensions of the two major Indian classical dance traditions.
Dr Lilabati Devi underwent a three-year Certificate Course and a three-year Diploma in Manipuri Dance and pursued postgraduate studies in Manipuri Raas at the Jawaharlal Nehru Manipur Dance Academy (JNMDA), Imphal. She also pursued postgraduate training in Bharatanatyam at Kalakshetra, Chennai.
Her academic and research interests cover a wide spectrum of performing arts, including dance pedagogy, Manipuri dance and Bharatanatyam, Indian dance and theatre traditions, textual traditions of Indian dance, musical aspects of dance, Abhinaya, contemporary dance, international dance, research methodology, technical aspects of dance performance, arts management, digital approaches to performing arts and choreography.
She has published research on different dimensions of Manipuri dance, performance and pedagogy. Her scholarly works have dealt with subjects such as the genesis of Manipuri dance, the role of music in dance, aesthetics and dance pedagogy, Gostha Leela at Shree Shree Govindajee Temple, Lai Haraoba, Manipuri Raas Leela and Manipuri classical dance.
The latest national recognition adds another important milestone to Dr Lilabati Devi’s academic and artistic journey.
Manipur University had earlier felicitated Dr Lilabati Devi during its 46th Foundation-cum-Commendation Day, when the University honoured faculty members who had received prestigious awards, honours, recognitions and fellowships at the state, national and international levels during 2024–25.
Dr Lilabati Devi was honoured on the occasion for receiving the Manipur State Kala Akademi Young Talent Award and for her recognition as a Top-Grade Artist in Manipuri Classical Dance by Prasar Bharati.
She has also been a recipient of the Scholarship to Young Artists in Manipuri Dance from the Ministry of Culture, Government of India, besides earning other academic and artistic distinctions during her career.
Her selection for the National Award to Teachers 2026 is a recognition of her sustained contribution to teaching, research, dance pedagogy and performance, as well as her efforts towards preserving and transmitting Manipur’s rich classical dance traditions to younger generations.
The honour is also significant for Manipur University as it brings national recognition to the academic and artistic work being carried out in its Department of Dance and Music and underlines the important place of performing arts within higher education.
At a wider level, the selection places Manipur’s rich cultural and performing arts heritage on a prominent national platform. With only two teachers from the Northeast among the 21 awardees this year, Dr Lilabati Devi’s achievement is a proud moment not only for Manipur University and Manipur but for the Northeast as a whole.
The Manipur University community congratulates Dr Pukhrambam Lilabati Devi on this prestigious national honour and wishes her continued success in teaching, research and the promotion and preservation of India’s performing arts and Manipur’s rich cultural heritage.
