# Asian Paints Sharad Shamman

Asian Paints Sharad Shamman (Bengali: এশিয়ান পেইন্টস শারদ সম্মান) is an excellence award given to the best decorated Durga Puja Pandal in Kolkata during the festival in October. Since its inception in 1985, Asian Paints Sharad Shamman has been heralded as the true achievement for excellence in decorating the abodes for Goddess Durga. As time has progressed there have been numerous awards being given by many other companies for creative excellence, but still Asian Paints Sharad Shamman is considered the most important award and the rightful judgement for excellence. It is a trendsetter for all the later awards.

## About the Award

"Asian Paints Sharad Shamman" was started in 1985 as a means for awarding the best decorated puja pandal during Durga Puja in Kolkata. Sharad means "Autumn (as the festival takes place at that season)" and Shamman means "Award/Respect", and was sponsored by Asian Paints, hence the name Asian Paints Sharad Shamman. Out of about 3000 puja pandals in Kolkata, few get shortlisted and among them six are given the awards.

## Award Categories

Total six awards are given to six puja pandals. When Sharad Shamman started in 1985 only three awards were given to three Best Puja pandals. From 1994 a special award called "Discovery of the Year" was introduced to honour a completely unknown pandal for its excellence. This four categories were continued for the next six years. But in 2000 Asian Paints felt the awards were too similar, there was no demarcation to identify Best Decoration of the pandal or the Best looking Idol. Hence in 2000 two new categories were introduced - "Creative Excellence (Nobbo Nakshi)", which focussed on the Best decorated Pandal, and "Best Artisan", given to the artist of the Best looking Idol. In 2010, the "Creative Excellence" was renamed to "Innovative Excellence" and it was continued for five years. Although in 2015, the Asian Paints committee didn't pick any puja for "Innovative Excellence" but the number of awards remained unaltered by introducing one more puja in "Discovery of the year" category. Keeping in mind the large growth and globalization in Kolkata Durga Puja, Asian Paints committee introduced another special award namely "Special Jury Award" on overall excellence. At present these seven categories (three for Best Pujas, two for Discovery of the year, one for Best Artisan and one for Special Award) represent Asian Paints Sharad Shamman. Some of the parameters for awarding the pandals include the overall beauty and grandeur of a pandal based on a chosen theme, the beauty of the Durga protima, how well the sanctum of the protima has been shown, and the finesse in the work done on the pandal. In 2020, due to nationwide COVID-19 pandemic, the Asian Paints Sharad Shamman judges didn't make a physical appearance on the participating pandels, the whole process had been successfully organised online by the APSS committee.

### Best Puja (Shrestho Pujo)

years active (1985–present)
This award was the first award given when APSS started in 1985. Three puja pandals are selected based on everything, i.e., Decorative excellence, best looking idol, ambiance, lighting etc. No demarcations are there like winner, first runner-up: instead all three pujas are considered to be the Best Puja. Normally winners in these category used to be the well-known Pujas, but nowadays many unknown Pujas have cropped up with the technical excellence to bag this award. At present, Durga Pujas in Kolkata are more theme oriented. Some specific theme like Madhubani art or earthen cups or a place like Kerala, will be the base for the decoration. In 2001, "Bosepukur Sitalamandir" decorated its pandal completely of earthen cups and was so popular that it won the Best Puja award hands down. There have been many Pujas which has won this award many times. "Adi Ballygunge" leads the list with five wins. A puja, once been declared a winner in this list cannot be declared in the "Discovery of the Year" award though it can win "Creative Excellence" or "Best Artisan" award.
Among the asian paints sharad samman winners (see the above list "Most wins") "Laketown Natunpally Pradeep Sangha" is the first puja committee who had win the prestigious durga puja award (Best Puja or, Shrestho Pujo) for consecutive three years (2006, 2007 and 2008) for the first time in North Kolkata and for the second time in Kolkata after Adi Ballygunge. In 2019, another puja from North Kolkata namely "Talapark Pratyay" also achieved this unique record after "Natunpally Pradeep Sangha". Till date "Suruchi Sangha", "Naktala Udayan Sangha" and "Behala Natun Dal" had also achieved the award for three consecutive years.

### Discovery of the Year (Bochorer Bismoy)

years active (1994–present) Discovery of the Year was first introduced in 1994 as a means to introduce a previously unknown and undiscovered Puja Pandal. Many unknown Pujas have cropped up on this list which are extremely popular in Kolkata. Notable among them are Barisha Sahajatri, Karbagan, Shivmandir Sarbojanin etc. Laketown Netaji Sporting Club modeled their pandal totally on a village situated on a hill and won this award in 2003. It has also happened many times that a Puja Pandal has already been popular in Kolkata in the previous year, but wins the "Discovery" award next year. In that case logically that is not a "Discovery of the Year". A Puja, once winning this title, can't win it again. Rammohan Sammilani won the discovery of the year in 1994.

### Creative Excellence (Nobbo Nakshi)

years active (2000–present) Started in 2000, Creative Excellence or Nobbo Nakshi in Bengali, is given as a means to felicitate the pandal with the best decoration. Pandals which has won the "Best Puja" and the "Discovery of the Year" can also win this award. "Darpanarayan Tagore Street" decorated their pandal entirely out of cowdung, which won them the first "Creative Excellence" award in 2001. Puja clubs can win this award anytime irrespective of whether they are a previously unknown puja or a famous one. Judges look for the intricacies and the details woven into creating the concept truly, and depicting them with technical brilliance.

### Best Artisan (Shrestho Protimashilpi)

years active (2000–present) Introduced in 2000, Best Artisan award is given to the maker of the Best Idol. Judges look for beauty, peace, strength, prowess in the idol and how good the idol can blend with the theme for the puja. Notable among the winners are Sanatan Dinda who has won 3 Best Artisan award, one for "Hatibagan Sarbojanin" in 2000 and two for "Nalin Sarkar Street" in 2004 and 2006, Shri Pradip Rudra Paul who won 2 awards for "Behala Adarshapally", Shri Purnendu Dey who won two awards, one for "Chakraberia Sarbojanin" in 2007 and for "Barisha Club" in 2008, Shri Subrata Banerjee who won two awards for "Tala Barowari" in 2015 and 2016 and Mr. Bhabotosh Sutar who won two awards for Naktala Udayan Sangha in 2011 and for Suruchi Sangha in 2019. Behala Adarshapally won both the categories of Best Puja and Best Artisan in 2005. Special Award(Bisesh Shamman)
the special jury award on overall excellence.

## The Award

The statuette given for Asian Paints Sharad Shamman looks like a conch shell. It is a small silver structure(previously gold) which is situated on a pedestal. This is enclosed in a glass box and handed over to the winners along with a cheque. Variations include for the statuette for "Creative Excellence" award. This includes a statue of an earthen pot with the traditional coconut and mango leaves on it. This is also made of silver. From 2016, the design of the prestigious Asian Paints Sharad Samman statuette has been modified making it more attractive and glowing. It now looks like a lotus with a stand holding it with a pedestal which is enclosed in a glass box. The height of the statuette has been enhanced as compared to the previous one.

## Asian Paints Logo and slogan

For Asian Paints Sharad Shamman, a logo of a young boy playing the dhak(drum) is shown. Also among the logos are a face of Maa Durga in monochrome line drawing, little kids playing with balloons etc.
The slogan for the award is "Shuddha suchi, sustha ruchi'r sera bachai" which means "The best from the artistically efficient and culturally significant", as described by the late poet Shri Subhash Mukhopadhay. From that point this has been the main slogan for the award.

## Judges and judgement

The judges for the award are chosen from a who's who of the Begali Literati and include artists, art critics, writers, actors, politicians, models, singers, poets etc. Notable among those chosen over the years are artist Shuvaprasanna, actors Sabyasachi, Moon Moon Sen, magician P.C. Sorcar, vocalist Bratati etc. Puja pandals are requested to submit their application by the 3rd day of the Puja. The judges go around the town on the fifth and sixth day and visit all the different Puja pandals. On the seventh day 12 finalists are short-listed and their names are declared. Finally, on the evening of the eighth day, the winners in the different categories are declared and are handed over with their trophies.

## List of winners

The following is the list of winners and their artists for Asian Paints Sharad Shamman from the past 34 years.
| Year | Best Puja | Discovery of the Year | Creative Excellence | Best Artisan | Emerging New Artist | Special Award |
| 1985 | Jodhpur Park, Adi Ballygunge, Maddox Square | NA | NA | NA | NA | |
| 1986 | College Square, Adi Ballygunge, Bagbazar Sarbojanin | NA | NA | NA | NA | |
| 1987 | College Square, Vivekananda Sporting Club, Adi Ballugunge | NA | NA | NA | NA | |
| 1988 | Beliaghata Sarir Sangathon, Adi Ballygunge, Mudiali | NA | NA | NA | NA | |
| 1989 | Babubagan, Nabapally, Shimla Byam Samiti - Shri Mohan Banshi Rudra Pal | NA | NA | NA | NA | |
| 1990 | Babubagan, Mudiali, Falguni Sangha | NA | NA | NA | NA | |
| 1991 | Kashi Bose Lane, Bagbazar Sarbojanin, Maddox Square | NA | NA | NA | NA | |
| 1992 | Mudiali, Yuba Brinda, Sunilnagar | NA | NA | NA | NA | |
| 1993 | Adi Ballygunge, Yuba Brinda, Kashi Bose Lane | NA | NA | NA | NA | |
| 1994 | Nabapally, Telengabagan Sarbojanin, Mudiali | Rammohan Sammilani | NA | NA | NA | |
| 1995 | Telengabagan Sarbojanin - Shri Pradip Rudra Pal, Kumartuli Park - Shri Sutanu Maity, Sunilnagar - Shri Bandan Raha | Ballygunge 21 Pally - Shri Buku Munsi | NA | NA | NA | |
| 1996 | Sovabazar Beniatola - Shri Tapas Basu, Ahiritola Sarbojanin - Shri Sutanu Maity, Rammohan Sammilani - Bharatmata Decorators (Contai), Shri Krisha Pal (Kumartuli) | Kalighat Yuva Maitri - Shri Bhramar Mitra | NA | NA | NA | |
| 1997 | Ahiritola - Shri Sutanu Maity Chaltabagan Lohapatty - Shri Sutanu Maity, Hatibagan Sarbojanin - Shri Sukhendu Mukherjee | Karbagan - Shri Bandan Raha | NA | NA | NA | |
| 1998 | Karbagan - Shri Bholanath Kalsi, Bosepukur Sitalamandir - Shri Bandan Raha, Laketown Adhibashibrindo - Shri Bhaskar Bandyopadhyay | Barisha Sahajatri - Deben Laha, Shruti Laha & Susanta Paul | NA | NA | NA | |
| 1999 | Sovabazar Beniatola - Shri Sanjoy Chakraborty, Sunilnagar - Shri Pradip De, Barisha Tapobon - Shri Amar Sarkar | Shivmandir Sarbojanin - Shri Sanjit Ghosh | NA | NA | NA | |
| 2000 | Behala Adarshapally - Club Members, Dum Dum Park Tarun Sangha - Shri Rupchand Kundu, Kankurgachi Nabadai Pally Mangal Samity - Shri Saumya Bandyopadhyay | Pathuriaghata 5er Pally - Shri Ashutosh Shi | Karbagan - Shri Kamal Naskar | Hatibagan Sarbojanin Shri Sanatan Dinda | NA | |
| 2001 | Bosepukur Sitalamandir - Shri Bandan Raha, Laketown Adhibashibrindo - Shri Amal Roy, Barisha Shrishti - Shri Amar Sarkar | Kankurgachi Youngster - Shri Gopal Podder | Darpanarayan Tagore Street - Shri Prasanta Pal | Brindaban Matrimandir Shri Upendranath Pal | NA | |
| 2002 | Darpanarayan Tagore Street - Shri Prasanta Pal, Haridevpur Ajeya Sanghati - Shri Amar Sarkar, Selimpur Pally - Shri Gopal Podder | Barisha Shakti Sangha - Shri Partha Dasgupta & Barisha Silpara Art Association | Shyamapally Shyama Sangha - Shri Samir Aich | Chaltabagan Lohapatty Shri Nepal Pal & Shri Gouranga Pal | NA | |
| 2003 | New Alipore Suruchi Sangha - Shri Subodh Roy, Haridevpur Ajeya Sanghati - Shri Amar Sarkar, Nimtola Ghat Street Sarbojanin - Shri Kamaldeep Dhar | Laketown Netaji Sporting Club - Shri Sanjit Ghosh | Khidderpore Pally Sharadiya - Club Members | Behala Adarshapally Shri Pradip Rudra Pal | NA | |
| 2004 | Barisha Shrishti - Shri Bhabatosh Sutar, Barisha Yubakbrindo - Shri Rabin Roy, Behala Club - Shri Amar Sarkar | Salt Lake BE Block East - Shri Nirmal Malick | Pathuriaghata 5er Pally - Shri Prasanta Pal | Nalin Sarkar Street Shri Sanatan Dinda | NA | |
| 2005 | Behala Adarshapally - Shri Partha Dasgupta Shivmandir Sarbojanin - Shri Purnendu De Behala Club - Shri Amar Sarkar | Swapnar Bagan Yubobrindo - Shri Somnath Mukherjee | Naktala Udayan Sangha - Shri Susanta Paul | Behala Adarshapally Shri Pradip Rudra Pal | NA | |
| 2006 | Haridevpur 41 Pally - Shri Bivas Mukherjee Bosepukur Talbagan - Shri Prasanta Pal Laketown Natunpally Pradeep Sangha - Shri Bhabatosh Sutar | Jawpur Bayam Samity - Shri Snehangshu Shekhar Das | Haridevpur Ajeya Sanghati - Shri Amar Sarkar | Nalin Sarkar Street Shri Sanatan Dinda | NA | |
| 2007 | Khidderpore 25 Pally - Shri Bhabatosh Sutar Pathuriaghata 5er Pally - Shri Gouranga Kuila Laketown Natunpally Pradeep Sangha - Shri Prasanta Pal | Kankurgachi Mitali Sangha - Shri Prasanta Pal | New Alipore Suruchi Sangha - Shri Subodh Roy | Chakraberia Sarbojanin Shri Purnendu Dey | NA | |
| 2008 | Telengabagan Sarbojanin - Shri Gopal Podder Tangra Gholpara Sarbojanin - Shri Subrata Banerjee Laketown Natunpally Pradeep Sangha - Shri Prasanta Pal | Santoshpur Lakepally - Shri Susanta Paul Hatibagan Nabinpally - Shri Kamaldeep Dhar | Naktala Udayan Sangha - Shri Susanta Paul | Barisha Club Shri Purnendu Dey | NA | |
| 2009 | Khidderpore Pally Sharadiya - Shri Prasanta Pal Dum Dum Park Bharat Chakra - Shri Gouranga Kuila New Alipore Suruchi Sangha - Shri Subodh Roy | LalaBagan Nabankur Sangha - Shri Prasanta Pal | Rajdanga Nabodoi Sangha - Shri Bhabatosh Sutar | Santoshpur Lakepally Shri Susanta Paul | NA | |
| 2010 | Barisha Club - Shri Bhabatosh Sutar (Environmental Art) Chakraberia Sarbojanin - Shri Shibsankar Das Vivekananda Park - Shri Susanta Paul | Mukul Sangha - Shri Biswanath Dey | Badamtola Ashar Shangha - Shri Susanta Paul | Nalin Sarkar Street Shri Sanatan Dinda | NA | |
| 2011 | Naktala Udayan Sangha - Shri Bhabatosh Sutar Suruchi Sangha- Shri Subrata Banerjee Nalin Sarkar Street - Shri Sanatan Dinda | Naskarpur Sarbojanin - Shri Sanjib Saha | Chakraberia Sarbojanin - Shri Shibsankar Das & Shri Sanatan Dinda | Naktala Udayan Sangha Shri Bhabatosh Sutar | NA | |
| 2012 | Naktala Udyan Sangha - Shri Bhabatosh Sutar Shivmandir Sarbojanin - Shri Subrata Banerjee Suruchi Sangha - Shri Subrata Banerjee | Tridhara Sammilani - Shri Gouranga Kuila | Bandhusree - Shri Bhabatosh Sutar (Environmental Art) | Barisha Club Shri Sanatan Dinda | NA | |
| 2013 | Naktala Udyan Sangha - Shri Bhabatosh Sutar Ultadanga Sangrami - Shri Prasanta Pal Suruchi Sangha - Shri Subrata Banerjee | Tala Barowari - Shri Amar Sarkar | N/A | Suruchi Sangha Shri Naba Paul | Hindusthan Park Sarbojanin Shri Arun Paul | |
| 2014 | Behala Buroshibtala Janakalya Sangha - Shri Shakti Sharma Kankurgachhi Jubak Brinda Sarbojanin Durgotsab - Shri Anirban Das Suruchi Sangha - Shri Subrata Banerjee | Netaji Jatiya Sebadal - Shri Tanmoy Chakraborty | N/A | Abasar Sarbojanin Durgotsab Shri Gouranga Kuila | Kalighat Nepal Bhattacharjee Street Club Shri Kanchi Paul | |
| 2015 | Selimpur Pally - Shri Susanta Paul Suruchi Sangha - Shri Subrata Banerjee Chetla Agrani - Shri Sanatan Dinda | Behala Nutan Dal - Shri Bhabatosh Sutar Behala Friends - Shri Susanta Paul | N/A | Tala Barowari Shri Subrata Banerjee | N/A | |
| 2016 | Behala Nutan Dal - Shri Partha Dasgupta Chetla Agrani Club - Shri Bhabatosh Sutar Naktala Udayan Sangha - Shri Susanta Paul | 66 Pally Club - Shri Purnendu De State Bank Park Sarbojanin Durgotsob - Shri Bhabatosh Sutar | N/A | Tala Barowari Shri Subrata banerjee | N/A | Shibmandir Sarbojanin Durgotsab Samiti - Shri Bimal Samanta |
| 2017 | Tala Park Pratyay - Shri Debasis Barui Abasar Sarbojanin - Shri Subrata Banerjee Suruchi Sangha - Shri Subrata Banerjee | Kumartuli Sarbojanin - Shri Parimal Paul Prafulla Kanan Poschim Adhibasi Brinda - Shri Purnendu De | N/A | Behala Nutan Dal Shri Pradip Das Jogen Chowdhury | N/A | Nalin Sarkar Street Sarbojanin Durgotsab - Shri Rintu Das |
| 2018 | Tala Park Pratyay - Shri Debasis Barui 95 Pally Sarbojanin Durgotsab - Shri Bhabatosh Sutar 66 Palli Club - Shri Aditi Chakraborty | Arjunpur Amra Sabai Club - Shri Bhabatosh Sutar Chorebagan Sarbojanin - Shri Debtosh Kar | N/A | Behala Nutan Dal Abin Chaudhury Narayan Sinha | N/A | Suruchi Sangha - Shri Subrata Banerjee |
| 2019 | Tala Park Pratyay - Shri Susanta Paul Naktala Udayan Sangha - Shri Bhabatosh Sutar Barisha Club - Shri Rintu Das | Wellington Nagarik Kalyan Samity - Shri Sanjib Saha & Shri Dipanjan De Samaj Sebi Sangha - Shri Pradip Das | N/A | Suruchi Sangha Shri Bhabatosh Sutar | N/A | Thakurpukur State Bank Park Sarbojanin - Shri Partha Dasgupta |
| 2020 | Samaj Sebi Sangha - Shri Pradip Das Thakurpukur State bank Park Sarbajanin - Shri Partha Dasgupta Barisha Club - Shri Rintu Das Kidderpore Pally Saradiya - Shri Raju Sarkar Badamtala Ashar Sangha - Shri Snehasish Maity | Masterda Smriti Sangha - Shri Manas Ray | N/A | Hatibagan Sarbojanin - Shri Sanjib Saha | N/A | N/A |
| 2021 | 95 Pally Jodhpur Park - Shri Bhabatosh Sutar Arjunpur Amra Sabai Club - Shri Bhabatosh Sutar Kankurgachhi Jubak Brinda - Shri Pradip Das Tala Park Prattoy - Shri Susanta Paul Dumdum Park Sarbojanin Durgotsab - Shri Krishanu Pal | Jagat Mukherjee Park - Shri Subal Paul | N/A | Kashi Bose Lane - Shrimati Aditi Chakraborty | N/A | N/A |
| 2022 | Arjunpur Amra Sabai Club - Shri Bhabatosh Sutar Vivekananda Park Athletic Club - Shri Susanta Paul & Shri Adhir Paul (Idol artist) Thakurpukur State Bank Park Sarbojanin - Shri Partha Dasgupta Chorebagan Sarbojanin - Shri Bimal Samanta & Shri Subrata Mridha (Idol artist) Chetla Agrani Club - Shri Subrata Banerjee | Dumdum Tarun Dal - Shri Pradip Das & Shri Pintu Sikdar | N/A | Nalin Sarkar Street Sarbojanin - Shri Manas Das & Shri Subrata Mridha (Idol artist) | | |
| 2023 | Arjupur Amra Sabai - Shri Bhabatosh Sutar Dumdum Tarun Dal - Shri Pradip Das Hatibagan Nabin Pally - Shri Anirban Das Purbachal Sakti Sangha - Shri Partha Das Gupta Tala Prattoy - Shri Susanta Paul | Dakshindari Youths - Shri Anirban Das | N/A | Chorebagan Sarbojanin - Shri Subrata Mridha (idol artist) and Shri Debasish Barui (theme artist) | N/A | N/A |
| 2024 | Salt Lake A.K. Block Association - Shri Bhabatosh Sutar Alipore Sarbojanin - Shri Anirban Das Arjunpur Amra Sabai - Shri Bhabatosh Sutar Purbachal Sakti Sangha - Shri Partha Das Gupta Tala Prattoy - Shri Susanta Paul | Dakshinpara Durgotsab Committee - Shri Debasish Barui | N/A | Behala Club- Shri Pintu Sikdar (Idol Artist) and Shri Pradip Das (Theme Artist) | N/A | N/A |
Most wins: The collective most wins are by the following Pujas:
* New Alipore Suruchi Sangha (12)
* Naktala Udayan Sangha (7)
* Barisha Club (7) *
* Nalin Sarkar Street (6)
* Tala Park Pratyay (6)
* Adi Ballygunge (5)
* Mudiali (4)
* Arjunpur Amra Sabai Club (5)
* Behala Adarshapally (4)
* Shibmandir Sarbojanin Durgotsab Samiti (4)
* Behala Natun Dal (4)
* State Bank Park Sarbojanin Durgotsob (4)
* Laketown Natunpally Pradeep Sangha (3)
* Tala Barowari (3)
* Sunilnagar (3)
* Telengabagan Sarbojanin (3)
* Haridevpur Ajeya Sanghati (3)
* Pathuriaghata 5er Pally (3)
* Karbagan (3)
* Chakraberia Sarbojanin (3)
* Kidderpore Pally Saradiya (3)
* Hatibagan Sarbojanin (3)
* Behala Club (3)
* Kashi Bose Lane (3)
* Chetla Agrani Club (3)
* Chorebagan Sarbojanin (3)
Among the artisans Sanatan Dinda leads with five wins, one for Hatibagan Sarbojanin, another for Barisha Club and three for Nalin Sarkar Street.
Amar Sarkar has 3 wins for Ajeya Sanghati
* Barisha Club's collective win is 7. This club is a merge of the former clubs Shrishti and Sahajatri. Sahajatri won one award in 1998 and Shrishti won two awards in 2001 and 2004. Hence together with these awards and the award for 2008, 2010 and 2012 ,2020
* Among the asian paints sharad samman winners (see the above list "Most wins") Laketown Natunpally Pradeep Sangha is the first puja committee who had win the prestigious durga puja award for consecutive three years (2006, 2007 and 2008). This rare record was broken by two prestigious Puja committee "Naktala Udayan Sangha" and "Suruchi Sangha".