Eventually rewarded: 2025 Padma Awardees thank govt for recognition

Government has also announced that former Chief Justice of India (retd) Jagdish Singh Khehar will be awarded Padma Vibhushan

Social worker Jumde Yomgam Gamlin from Arunachal Pradesh, who has been awarded Padma Shri this year, said honest efforts never go unnoticed and would eventually be rewarded.

The conferment of the award on Gamlin was announced on Saturday.  Expressing her gratitude, Gamlin said, I feel elated to receive the Padma Shri, the fourth highest civilian award. I thank the state government and the Centre for recognising my work.

Good and honest efforts never go unnoticed and will eventually be rewarded. To be a social worker, one must have dedication and commitment, she told PTI from Aalo over the phone. Gamlin, the chairperson of an NGO -Mother's Vision - based at Aalo in West Siang district, was also the recipient of the Bharat Vibhushan Puruskar in November 2024.

With over 10 years of experience in social work, she has previously been recognised with a state award as well.

In addition to her social work, Gamlin serves as a Zila Parishad member for Yomcha in the district.

The Mother's Vision, established in 2013, started fighting against drug addiction and alcoholism. The NGO later began conducting awareness campaigns, workshops, counselling sessions, and outreach activities.

Starting in Aalo town, its initiatives gradually expanded to nearby villages and schools across West Siang and other districts.

A turning point for the NGO came in 2014, when Kennedy Bagra, a recovering addict, joined the team. His firsthand experiences helped the organisation design targeted campaigns and effectively identify vulnerable groups, Gamlin said.

Our NGO has so far treated more than 700 addicts, she proudly stated.

Gamlin's relentless efforts and leadership have made the NGO a beacon of hope in the fight against addiction in Arunachal Pradesh.  Padma Shri 'vibrant' recognition of art, says Puducherry Thavil artiste 

Thavil artiste P Dakshinamoorthy, who was selected for the Padma Shri award by the Central government on Saturday, said the honour was a "vibrant recognition" of the traditional art.

 

The 68 year-old who has five decades of experience in playing the classical percussion instrument, has performed in several parts of the country in about 15,000 events.

 

Speaking to PTI after the awards were announced, he said he belongs to a family of Nadaswaram (a wind instrument) and thavil players. His father and grand father were thavil artistes and he and his four brothers are either thavil or nadaswaram players.

 

The Padma Sri recipient hails from Abishegapakkam village in Embalam segment in Puducherry.

 

He said he was extremely happy that traditional art has gained recognition and the civilian honour was a real tribute to the art. It was a "vibrant recognition" of the art.

 

He said he had learnt playing thavil, a sacrosanct accompaniment to nadaswaram from his father and grandfather. The instruments are an integral part of Tamil culture, and played in temples and weddings.

 

Dakshinamoorthy said the recognition would boost all those involved in the traditional music and he would ever remain grateful to all the patrons of the music and the art. He also thanked the Centre and Puducherry government.  Krishna Madiga earns Padma Shri after 3 decades of relentless struggle for SC sub-categorisation 

Born in a Madiga community (scheduled caste) family that faced socio-economic challenges in Telangana's Warangal District, Manda Krishna Madiga had to put up a relentless struggle for three decades, demanding the sub-categorisation of SCs that yielded fruit in August last year.

 

Krishna Madiga was conferred with Padma Shri award by the Centre on Saturday.

 

In 1994, Manda Krishna Madiga founded the Madiga Reservation Porata Samithi (MRPS) to address the specific grievances of the Madiga community, regarding the unequal distribution of reservation benefits among Scheduled Castes.

 

MRPS has been instrumental in advocating for the sub-categorisation of SCs to ensure a more equitable distribution of resources and opportunities.

 

In August last year, the Supreme Court gave a ruling empowering states to create sub-classifications of SCs and STs, for providing quotas within the reserved category.

 

The sub-categorisation had become so sensitive that, during the Lok Sabha poll campaign last year, Prime Minister Narendra Modi attended a meeting organised by MRPS and assured the SC community that the Centre would form a committee to adopt all possible ways of empowering the Madigas concerning their demand of categorisation of SCs.

 

At the meeting, Manda Krishna Madiga became emotional as he sat next to Modi who embraced and consoled him, describing him as his younger brother.  Padma honour for Vijayan, Sreejesh a recognition for Kerala sports 

The Padma honours awarded to Olympian hockey goalkeeper PR Sreejesh and a renowned footballer are seen as a significant recognition of Kerala's contributions to sports, according to sports lovers.

 

While Sreejesh has been honoured with the Padma Bhushan, India's third-highest civilian award, Vijayan has been conferred with Padma Shri, the fourth-highest civilian honour.

 

Former India goalkeeper Sreejesh, hailing from Kizhakkambalam near Kochi, has been awarded the Padma Bhushan for his contributions to the country's two consecutive bronze medal victories at the Tokyo Olympics in 2021 and the Paris Olympics in 2024.

 

Currently serving as the head coach of the Indian men's junior hockey team, 36-year-old Sreejesh, who is fondly called as 'Sree' has also won gold medals at the Asian Games in 2014 and 2022. 

IM Vijayan, a legendary striker from Thrissur, represented India for several years and is considered one of the greatest Indian footballers.

 

During his international career spanning 72 matches, he scored 29 goals for the national team and captained India from 2000 to 2004.

 

After starting his career with Kerala Police, Vijayan went on to play for several prestigious clubs, including the iconic Kolkata teams Mohun Bagan and East Bengal.

 

The 55-year-old, who currently serves as an Assistant Commandant in the Malabar Special Police (MSP) wing of the Kerala Police, dedicated the honor to football fans in Kerala.

 

"It is a great honor for me, especially as I approach my retirement from police service. I dedicate this award to football lovers across India and the world," Vijayan told the media.  Periyappuram, who performed first successful heart transplant in Kerala, gets Padma Bhushan 

Dr Jose Chacko Periyappuram, who was bestowed with the third highest civilian honour of Padma Bhushan, is a renowned cardiac surgeon who had performed the first successful heart transplant in Kerala.

 

Expressing surprise and happiness, he said it is a recognition for the healthcare system of the state.

 

A prolific thoracic surgeon and a medical writer, Periyappuram has decades-long experience in his specialised area.

 

He has performed over 20,000 open-heart surgeries and penned several articles in well-known cardio thoracic journals.

 

Periyappuram has the rare distinction of performing the first successful heart transplant in the state in the year 2003 and the first successful heart re-transplant in the country later.

 

A fellow of the Royal College of Surgeons of Edinburgh, Glasgow and London, the 66-year-old doctor is also the founder of Heart Care Foundation, a charitable trust which helps financially backward people suffering from heart issues.

 

He was conferred with Padma Shri in 2011.