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NEW DELHI: Padma Shri, like all past years, maintains the Narendra Modi government‘s tradition of celebrating unsung heroes from remote parts of the country. From tribal reformers and environmentalists working silently for poor tribals or preserving the forests around them, to women of rural India who broke the glass ceiling, to medical practitioners who overcame personal tragedy to heal other victims, to Bhadu folk singer from Birbhum Ratan Kahar who struck fame in his Eighties after his composition ‘Boro Loker Biti Lo’ went viral on social media, Padma Shri this year celebrates the ordinary whose work speaks louder than their humble voice.
Somanna, a former bonded labourer from Mysuru in Karnataka who dedicated his life for tribal welfare and has been working for betterment of Jenu Kuruba, a honey-collecting tribe, for over four decades, was picked for Padma Shri. He has assisted in acquiring title deeds to ensure the legal recognition and protection of more than 500 tribal communities residing in forest areas.
A gutsy lady who sustained 50% burns at the tender age of 8 but survived to study medicine and become a reconstructive plastic surgeon to heal burn victims, has been named for Padma. She underwent more than 14 surgeries as a child at Christian Medical College Vellore and went on to become a surgeon and HoD in the same hospital. ‘Agni Rakshak’ Prema Dhanraj runs an NGO that has provided free surgery to over 26,500 burn victims and has also established Ethiopia’s 1st burns unit, apart from educating doctors across Africa and Europe.
India’s first female elephant mahout Parbati Baruah, who learnt the skill from her father and has saved and shaped the lives of many rogue tuskers in Assam, has also been honoured. Tribal welfare leader belonging to a particularly vulnerable tribal group (PVTG) from Jashpur in Chhattisgarh, Jageshwar Yadav, was awarded Padma Shri this year for helping to eradicate illiteracy and tackle vaccine hesitancy during the pandemic.
Divyang and social worker from Sirsa, Haryana Gurvinder Singh, despite being paralysed waist down after being hit by a truck and since bound to a wheelchair, has nurtured children’s dreams through his child care institute and provided ambulance service to over 6,000 accident victims and pregnant ladies.
Among the artists honoured this year are folk painter Ashok Kumar Biswas from Bihar who revived Maurya-era Tikuli art over the last five decades; and folk painters Shanti Devi Paswan and Shivan Paswan from Dusadh community and overcame caste stigma to exhibit their Godna Madhubani paintings in US, Japan, Hong Kong and even the recent G20 summit. Kathakali exponent Balakrishnan Sadanam Puthiya Veetil, 105-year-old Krishna Leela singer from Odisha’s Ganjam district and Burra Veena player from Damaragidda village in Narayanpet Dasari Kondappa have also been named for Padma Shri.
The other awardees include sculptor Sanatan Rudra Pal from West Bengal who has been crafting Sabeki Durga idols for over five decades and has got recognition from UNESCO. Bamboo craftsman from Sikkim Jordan Lepcha and Valli Oyil Kummi folk dance exponent from Tamil Nadu Badrappan were also named for the fourth highest civilian award. Potter from Ukhrul Machichan Sasa figures on the list along with eminent Chindu Yakshaganam theatre artist from Jangaon, Telangana, Gaddam Sammaiah, who incidentally was once an agricultural labourer.
Padma Shri list includes Chakma loinloom shawl weaver Smriti Rekha Chakma and Mach theatre artist from Madhya Pradesh Omprakash Sharma. Theyyam folk dance Narayanan E P from Kerala who started off as a driver but has performed the Theyyam folk ritual in 100 ritual locations, has also been recognised with Padma Shri.
Uday Vishwanath Deshpande from Maharashtra who is credited for bringing the Mallakhamb sport on global map, is another Padma Shri awardee. His rule-book was recognized by the Indian Olympic Association.
Yazdi Maneksha Italia, a doctor from Guajarat who dedicated his life to fight sickle cell anemia amongst tribals of Gujarat is yet another Padma Shri awardee.
Tribal environmentalists rewarded this year include Jharkhand’s Chami Murmu who spearheaded afforestation efforts by planting over 30 lakh with 3,000 women. Dukhi Manjhi from Purulia, who could not complete his education due to financial constraints but went on to plant 5000 trees on barren land, has also been honoured. Nariyal Amma K Chellammal, a Class 6 dropout, is on the Padma Shri list for her work as an organic farmer in South Andaman. Others honoured include rice farmer from Kasaragod, Kerala, Sathyanaryana Beleri who has preserved over 650 traditional rice varieties and social worker from Aizawl Sangthankima who has been providing rehabilitation services and shelter to orphans, divyangan, drug addicts and alcoholics.
Herbal medicine practitioners on the Padma Shri list include Hemchand Manji from Narayanpur in Chhattisgarh who has provided affordable healthcare to villagers for over five decades and has great knowledge of herbs found in the forests of Abujmarh. He has braved repeated threats from Naxalites to serve the people. East Siang based herbal medicine expert Yanung Jamoh Lego has provided medical care to over 10,000 patients and educated 1 lakh individuals on medicinal herbs.
Jankilal, a Behrupiya artist from Bhilwara, Rajasthan, who has been promoting the fading art form for over six decades with limited finances and institutional support, and Brass Marori craftsperson from UP Babu Ram Yadav have been named for Padma Shri this year. Purulia style dance exponent and Chhau maskmaker Nepal Chandra Sutradhaar has been awarded posthumously.
Somanna, a former bonded labourer from Mysuru in Karnataka who dedicated his life for tribal welfare and has been working for betterment of Jenu Kuruba, a honey-collecting tribe, for over four decades, was picked for Padma Shri. He has assisted in acquiring title deeds to ensure the legal recognition and protection of more than 500 tribal communities residing in forest areas.
A gutsy lady who sustained 50% burns at the tender age of 8 but survived to study medicine and become a reconstructive plastic surgeon to heal burn victims, has been named for Padma. She underwent more than 14 surgeries as a child at Christian Medical College Vellore and went on to become a surgeon and HoD in the same hospital. ‘Agni Rakshak’ Prema Dhanraj runs an NGO that has provided free surgery to over 26,500 burn victims and has also established Ethiopia’s 1st burns unit, apart from educating doctors across Africa and Europe.
India’s first female elephant mahout Parbati Baruah, who learnt the skill from her father and has saved and shaped the lives of many rogue tuskers in Assam, has also been honoured. Tribal welfare leader belonging to a particularly vulnerable tribal group (PVTG) from Jashpur in Chhattisgarh, Jageshwar Yadav, was awarded Padma Shri this year for helping to eradicate illiteracy and tackle vaccine hesitancy during the pandemic.
Divyang and social worker from Sirsa, Haryana Gurvinder Singh, despite being paralysed waist down after being hit by a truck and since bound to a wheelchair, has nurtured children’s dreams through his child care institute and provided ambulance service to over 6,000 accident victims and pregnant ladies.
Among the artists honoured this year are folk painter Ashok Kumar Biswas from Bihar who revived Maurya-era Tikuli art over the last five decades; and folk painters Shanti Devi Paswan and Shivan Paswan from Dusadh community and overcame caste stigma to exhibit their Godna Madhubani paintings in US, Japan, Hong Kong and even the recent G20 summit. Kathakali exponent Balakrishnan Sadanam Puthiya Veetil, 105-year-old Krishna Leela singer from Odisha’s Ganjam district and Burra Veena player from Damaragidda village in Narayanpet Dasari Kondappa have also been named for Padma Shri.
The other awardees include sculptor Sanatan Rudra Pal from West Bengal who has been crafting Sabeki Durga idols for over five decades and has got recognition from UNESCO. Bamboo craftsman from Sikkim Jordan Lepcha and Valli Oyil Kummi folk dance exponent from Tamil Nadu Badrappan were also named for the fourth highest civilian award. Potter from Ukhrul Machichan Sasa figures on the list along with eminent Chindu Yakshaganam theatre artist from Jangaon, Telangana, Gaddam Sammaiah, who incidentally was once an agricultural labourer.
Padma Shri list includes Chakma loinloom shawl weaver Smriti Rekha Chakma and Mach theatre artist from Madhya Pradesh Omprakash Sharma. Theyyam folk dance Narayanan E P from Kerala who started off as a driver but has performed the Theyyam folk ritual in 100 ritual locations, has also been recognised with Padma Shri.
Uday Vishwanath Deshpande from Maharashtra who is credited for bringing the Mallakhamb sport on global map, is another Padma Shri awardee. His rule-book was recognized by the Indian Olympic Association.
Yazdi Maneksha Italia, a doctor from Guajarat who dedicated his life to fight sickle cell anemia amongst tribals of Gujarat is yet another Padma Shri awardee.
Tribal environmentalists rewarded this year include Jharkhand’s Chami Murmu who spearheaded afforestation efforts by planting over 30 lakh with 3,000 women. Dukhi Manjhi from Purulia, who could not complete his education due to financial constraints but went on to plant 5000 trees on barren land, has also been honoured. Nariyal Amma K Chellammal, a Class 6 dropout, is on the Padma Shri list for her work as an organic farmer in South Andaman. Others honoured include rice farmer from Kasaragod, Kerala, Sathyanaryana Beleri who has preserved over 650 traditional rice varieties and social worker from Aizawl Sangthankima who has been providing rehabilitation services and shelter to orphans, divyangan, drug addicts and alcoholics.
Herbal medicine practitioners on the Padma Shri list include Hemchand Manji from Narayanpur in Chhattisgarh who has provided affordable healthcare to villagers for over five decades and has great knowledge of herbs found in the forests of Abujmarh. He has braved repeated threats from Naxalites to serve the people. East Siang based herbal medicine expert Yanung Jamoh Lego has provided medical care to over 10,000 patients and educated 1 lakh individuals on medicinal herbs.
Jankilal, a Behrupiya artist from Bhilwara, Rajasthan, who has been promoting the fading art form for over six decades with limited finances and institutional support, and Brass Marori craftsperson from UP Babu Ram Yadav have been named for Padma Shri this year. Purulia style dance exponent and Chhau maskmaker Nepal Chandra Sutradhaar has been awarded posthumously.
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