NEW DELHI:Sagar-O- Papuni , a musical play produced by All India Radio, Bhavanipatna in Orissa has won this year's prestigious Asia Pacific Broadcasting Union's Award for Children's programme.

The awards were announced at the Asia Pacific Broadcasting Union, ABU's 39th General Assembly at Tokyo, which concluded on Friday, according to a Prasar Bharati press release.

Sagar-O- Papuni (The Ocean and the little Papuni), the award winning entry from AIR Bhavanipatna is a 23 minute musical, aimed at teaching children the importance of the five basic elements of Nature - earth, water, air, light and the sky.

The play is set on a beach where little Papuni learns about the importance of the basic elements and the need to protect them from pollution. The gripping narrative in the form of a dialogue between the child and the sea makes the play directed by Ramapada Nanda, an enjoyable listening experience for all, especially for children between 6 and 15, the release adds.

The ABU Prizes, established in 1964 are international contests for radio and television programmes. They aim to promote programmes of a high standard, to raise educational and cultural levels and to strengthen international understanding among the people of the ABU member countries. This year, 19 programmes won the awards in different categories from among 105 entries.