Republic Day: 34 J-K personalities receive state award

Thirty-four personalities, including Dangal actress Zaira Wasim, from Jammu and Kashmir were given the state award on Republic Day for their contribution in different fields.
Fireman Abdul Majid Wani, singer Vijay Malla and educationist Atiqa Bano were awarded posthumously, an official release said here.
Malla and Bano werehonoured for their contribution in performing arts and achievement in the field of literature, respectively, with a cash award of Rs 51,000, a medal and a citation, it said.
The fireman, who suffered critical burn injuries during a fire-fighting operation in Srinagar in December, and later died during treatment, was honoured with a cash award of Rs 1 lakh, a medal and a citation.

The award was also given to media persons. This included PTI's Jammu bureau chief Anil Bhat, Aaj Tak's Ashwani Kumar, Dainik Jagran's Abhimanyu Sharma and Hindustan Times' Toufiq Rashid.
Senior editor of Greater Kashmir Arif Shafi and Deputy Director (News) Doordarshan Mushtaq Ahmad Tantray also received the award.

In the performing arts category Wasim and singer-composer Waheed Jeelani were given the award, the release said.
For meritorious public service, IAS officers Asgar Hassan Samoon, Navin Kumar Choudhary, Rohit Kansal and Shailendra Kumar were awarded.
Kashmir Administrative Service officers Arshad Ayoub, Inam-ul-Haq Sidiqui and Gurmeet Namgial were conferred the award, the release said.

Dogri writer Gianeshwar Sharma, and Urdu and Kashmiri poet Darkhshan Andrabi were given the state award for their achievements in the field of literature.
Junior Assistant, Irrigation and Flood Control department Muneer Ahmad Khan and Constable Ishfaq Ali Mir were also given the award.
Sports persons Rajinder Singh and Aijaz Hassan, Sairah Zahoor, Narinder Sharma and Anchal Sharma, Rakshak Jandiyal, Krupali Singh and Majid Dar received the state award, the release said.
The award was also given to Chotay Taray Foundation, a non-governmental organisation, artist Balwant Thakur and businessman Khazir Mohammad Dar and entrepreneur Anjali Chopra.