Hem Chandra Goswami

Hem Chandra Goswami (born March 1, 1958) is an Indian mask-making artist from Assam's Majuli district. He received the India's fourth-highest civilian award Padma Shri in 2023 for his contributions in the field of art.

Early life and career

Goswami was born on March 1, 1958. He completed his HSLC Examination from a local High School and went on to pursue a bachelor's degree in Arts and Crafts from the Arts and Crafts Society of Guwahati, Assam.

At the age of 10, he embarked on his training in the art form established by Srimata Shankardev. Under the guidance of his father, Rudrakanta Deva Goswami, a Sattriya artist and mask maker, he honed his craft from a young age.

Goswami has given lectures about the history of split bamboo masks at various institutions throughout the country, including Dibrugarh University, Tezpur University, Vivekananda Kendra: Guwahati, Indira Gandhi Cultural Centre for the Arts in New Delhi, and Visva-Bharati in Santiniketan. 2019: Sangeet natak academy award 2018: Luitporia Lifetime Achievement Award 2014: Damodara Deva National Award 2012: Received LaMezo Da Anand Award