MUMBAI: Popular singers Shaan and Arijit Singh were on Friday handed over the Sangeet Mahasamman award constituted by the West Bengal government at the inaugural session of the Bengal music and folk culture festival here.

Besides the duo, leading Bengali singers like Rupankar Bagchi, Raghab Chattopadhyay, Manomoy Bhattacharya, Saikat Mitra, Pratik Chowdhury and music director Debojyoti Mishra were also given the 'Sangeet Mahasamman' awards.

Legendary singer Sandhya Mukhopadhyay gave away the awards.

Lauding Shaan and Arijit, state Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee said, "There are personalities among us who were born on the soil of Bengal but earned their laurels away from the state."

"We are proud of them. Their love for the state shows up in the way they have rushed to Kolkata to attend the music festival," added Banerjee, while inaugurating the eight-day Bangla Sangeet Mela and Biswabangla Lok Sanskriti Utsav.

(Source: IANS)