ZEE Media to Host Grand Celebration of Bhojpuri Achievement and Heritage

ZEE Media is expanding its footprint in one of India's most dynamic cultural sectors through a major initiative bringing together the Bhojpuri entertainment and cultural landscape. The broadcaster's flagship regional channels—Zee Bihar Jharkhand and Zee Uttar Pradesh Uttarakhand—will organize the ZEE Bhojpuri Samman 2026, a prestigious event scheduled for May 8 in Patna.

The awards ceremony has been conceived as an evening dedicated to honouring the Bhojpuri community's cultural legacy and recognizing individuals who have made significant contributions to entertainment, literature, arts, business, community development, and public service.

The gathering is expected to draw substantial attendance from Bihar and Uttar Pradesh, including senior government officials, lawmakers, corporate leaders, and cultural figures. Among the expected guests is Bihar Governor Lt Gen (Retd) Syed Ata Hasnain.

The event will feature prominent Bhojpuri cinema personalities including Ravi Kishan, Manoj Tiwari, Dinesh Lal Yadav (Nirahua), Yash Mishra, Akshara Singh, Amrapali Dubey, Smriti Sinha, Monalisa, Neelam Giri, Ankush Raja, Shilpi Raghwani, Mahi Shrivastava, Sanjana Pandey, and Tanushree Chatterjee, alongside numerous other established performers and artists.

Beyond cinema, the ceremony will welcome cultural luminaries and public figures. The gathering will include Anshuman Sinha, son of the late renowned singer Sharda Sinha; poet Manoj Bhawuk; Padma Shri recipient Rajkumari Devi, popularly known as Kisan Chachi; and Madhubani artist Dulari Devi.

Family members of late mathematician Vashishtha Narayan Singh—Ayodhya Prasad Singh and Rakesh Singh—are also scheduled to attend. The event will feature educator Guru Rehman, Sushil Thakur (great grandson of Bhikhari Thakur), singer Indu Sonali, actor Kunal Singh, and vocalist Nisha Upadhyay.

Raktim Das, Chief Executive Officer of Zee Media Corporation Ltd., stated that regional cultures form the foundation of India's identity, with Bhojpuri representing a particularly vibrant manifestation. "Through ZEE Bhojpuri Samman, we recognize not only individual excellence but celebrate a cultural phenomenon that inspires, evolves, and expands across sectors and generations," Das said. "This event honours those who have elevated Bhojpuri heritage to unprecedented prominence."

The ceremony aims to serve as a major platform celebrating Bhojpuri achievement, bringing together voices from film, the arts, scholarship, grassroots movements, politics, and public life to underscore the community's growing national influence.