New Delhi, June 30: Noted artist Anjolie Ela Menon, 78 on Saturday received here the National Kalidas Samman for visual arts from the Madhya Pradesh government.

The award was conferred in recognition of her insightful and sensitive portrayal of the identity and spirit of women through her meaningful paintings in a variety of media. 

With her first solo exhibition being held in Delhi in 1958, Menon is counted among India's most accomplished artists and is the recipient of numerous national and international awards including the Padma Shri. She recently received a doctorate from Rabindra Bharati University.

Artist A. Ramachandran was also conferred with the Kalidas Award on Saturday.

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Mumbai: In an interview with NewsLaundry and The News Minute, NCP(SP) leader Sharad Pawar confirmed that a high-level meeting took place in 2019 at industrialist Gautam Adani’s residence in Delhi. Pawar stated that Union Home Minister Amit Shah was also present at the meeting.

The timing and location of this gathering have raised several questions, especially with Adani’s involvement in a political discussion. Ajit Pawar had earlier revealed that this meeting took place after the 2019 Maharashtra Assembly elections, where talks were held regarding a potential government alliance between BJP and NCP, and Adani was also in attendance.

Sharad Pawar has now acknowledged Ajit Pawar’s statement, affirming that the meeting did occur at Adani’s residence, though he noted that Adani was not actively involved in the political discussions.

This revelation has intensified political debates in Maharashtra, with opposition parties criticising the BJP over alleged ties with Adani. Rahul Gandhi and other opposition leaders have often claimed that the Modi government works in favour of industrialists like Adani and Ambani. This recent disclosure has added weight to those criticisms, sparking renewed discussions on Adani’s role and influence in BJP’s key decisions.

The opposition has questioned why a private industrialist’s residence was chosen for a political discussion and what role Adani had in the deliberations. This controversy comes amid ongoing campaigns for the upcoming Maharashtra elections scheduled for November 20.