All-inclusive approach in selecting Padma awardees | India News – Times of India
NEW DELHI: A tribal welfare worker from Jashpur in Chhattisgarh, Jageshwar Yadav, who has dedicated his life to the uplift and care of the Birhors tribespeople, has figured in the list of Padma awardees this year, despite leading a life in isolation, working selflessly for decades in dense forest villages.
Jageshwar’s inclusion in the list of one of the highest civilian awards is not a case in isolation as many of the awardees have similar inspirational stories.
After consultations with over 250 experts, the 132 Padma awardees this year were selected through a lengthy process of due diligence and scrutiny, continuing the journey of transforming government’s awards into “people’s awards”, by decorating individuals serving humanity at grass-root levels.
“Each awardee serves as an inspiration to all. The stories of their struggles, perseverance, selflessness, service and excellence reflect the Story of Bharat,” a senior government functionary said.
Government sources said that over 62000 nominations were received this year, an increase of over 28 times since 2014, the year Narendra Modi took over as the country’s prime minister.
The list of awardees is also all-inclusive as individuals with excellence have been selected from different castes and communities including a record number of individuals from minority communities.
A record number of 40 awardees are from other backward classes (OBC), whereas 11 from Scheduled castes and 15 from scheduled tribes have been chosen for the highest honours of the country chosen every year on the occasion of Republic Day.
The presence of a large number of awardees from different minority communities is also seen as an assertion about the Modi government’s claim that merit is the key parameter for which caste and community don’t play any significant role.
The list is inclusive of a record number of Christians (9), Muslims (8), Buddhists (5), Sikh (3), Jain (2), Parsi (2) and two from Indigenous Faiths.
On being conferred the Padma Shri Award, Psychiatrist CR Chandrashekhar from Bengaluru, said, “Getting awards is not a new thing for me. I’ve received more than 70 awards. The Karnataka government itself has given more than 5 awards… I am happy. Because Karnataka is very far off from Delhi. Usually south is forgotten in Delhi for various political and other reasons. Now selections are much fairer and they go into the community to find out who is working and on what… In the last 5 years, very ordinary citizens have been selected for the awards. Earlier only the rich, or government-sponsored people, or those sponsored by big NGOs used to get. I plead to the state governments also to do the same thing… For a person, any award and appreciation goes a long way… Some people bring laurels to the award. The value of the award increases. Just like Karpuri Thakur being conferred the Bharat Ratna has increased the value of the award.”
The awardees also hail from all corners of the country varying from different age groups including 49 octogenarians (80 yrs and above), who have been recognised for lifetime contributions, of which 31 are above the age of 85, 15 over the age of 90 and three above 100 years. People from at least 10 districts have been recognised with a Padma Award for the first time since independence.
The selection of the prominent personalities also shows the bipartisanship of the Modi government, recognising political veterans across parties, ideologies and geographies. “The selections prove that the service to the nation is all that matters to PM Modi,” a functionary said.
Along with Bharat Ratna to Karpoori Thakur (Janta Party) for championing the cause of backwards, Chiranjeevi (INC) and Captain Vijayakant (DMDK) have been decorated with second highest award Padm Vibhushan this year.
Jageshwar’s inclusion in the list of one of the highest civilian awards is not a case in isolation as many of the awardees have similar inspirational stories.
After consultations with over 250 experts, the 132 Padma awardees this year were selected through a lengthy process of due diligence and scrutiny, continuing the journey of transforming government’s awards into “people’s awards”, by decorating individuals serving humanity at grass-root levels.
“Each awardee serves as an inspiration to all. The stories of their struggles, perseverance, selflessness, service and excellence reflect the Story of Bharat,” a senior government functionary said.
Government sources said that over 62000 nominations were received this year, an increase of over 28 times since 2014, the year Narendra Modi took over as the country’s prime minister.
The list of awardees is also all-inclusive as individuals with excellence have been selected from different castes and communities including a record number of individuals from minority communities.
A record number of 40 awardees are from other backward classes (OBC), whereas 11 from Scheduled castes and 15 from scheduled tribes have been chosen for the highest honours of the country chosen every year on the occasion of Republic Day.
The presence of a large number of awardees from different minority communities is also seen as an assertion about the Modi government’s claim that merit is the key parameter for which caste and community don’t play any significant role.
The list is inclusive of a record number of Christians (9), Muslims (8), Buddhists (5), Sikh (3), Jain (2), Parsi (2) and two from Indigenous Faiths.
On being conferred the Padma Shri Award, Psychiatrist CR Chandrashekhar from Bengaluru, said, “Getting awards is not a new thing for me. I’ve received more than 70 awards. The Karnataka government itself has given more than 5 awards… I am happy. Because Karnataka is very far off from Delhi. Usually south is forgotten in Delhi for various political and other reasons. Now selections are much fairer and they go into the community to find out who is working and on what… In the last 5 years, very ordinary citizens have been selected for the awards. Earlier only the rich, or government-sponsored people, or those sponsored by big NGOs used to get. I plead to the state governments also to do the same thing… For a person, any award and appreciation goes a long way… Some people bring laurels to the award. The value of the award increases. Just like Karpuri Thakur being conferred the Bharat Ratna has increased the value of the award.”
The awardees also hail from all corners of the country varying from different age groups including 49 octogenarians (80 yrs and above), who have been recognised for lifetime contributions, of which 31 are above the age of 85, 15 over the age of 90 and three above 100 years. People from at least 10 districts have been recognised with a Padma Award for the first time since independence.
The selection of the prominent personalities also shows the bipartisanship of the Modi government, recognising political veterans across parties, ideologies and geographies. “The selections prove that the service to the nation is all that matters to PM Modi,” a functionary said.
Along with Bharat Ratna to Karpoori Thakur (Janta Party) for championing the cause of backwards, Chiranjeevi (INC) and Captain Vijayakant (DMDK) have been decorated with second highest award Padm Vibhushan this year.
