In the fields of healthcare, social service, and climate change, the Padma Awards 2024 will recognize the extraordinary work done by unsung heroes.

The Centre on Thursday unveiled the names of 34 unsung heroes for the prized Padma awards ahead of Republic Day, including India’s first female mahout and a social worker with special needs. The awards recognize the exceptional work done by unsung heroes behind closed doors.

FIRST FEMALE MAHOUT

One of the people nominated for the Padma awards is Parbati Baruah, the first female elephant mahout in India. She broke through the glass ceiling by making a name for herself in an industry that has historically been controlled by men.

At the age of 14, Baruah set off on her mission and was instrumental in saving and transforming the lives of numerous renegade elephants.

“She stood out for her commitment towards mitigating human-elephant conflict with the help of application of scientific practices and assisted three state governments to tackle and capture wild elephants,” the reference to Baruah, titled “Hathi ki Pari” , stated.

TRIBAL WELFARE WORKER

Jageshwar Yadav committed his life, despite financial difficulties, to the betterment of the disadvantaged Pahadi Korwa and Birhor communities of Chhattisgarh, a state dominated by tribes.

Yadav, who was also awarded the Padma Shri, established an ashram in Jashpur to eliminate illiteracy and improve tribal peoples’ access to healthcare.

Yadav, popularly known as “Birhor ke Bhai,” assisted with vaccinations during the COVID-19 pandemic and contributed to a decrease in child mortality.

‘SERAIKELA KI SAHYOGI’

The “Seraikela ki Sahyogi” Chami Murmu of Jharkhand, who led the afforestation campaign and planted more than 30 lakh plants in the Seraikela Kharsawan district, is going to be awarded the Padma Shri.

She also established Self-Help Groups (SHGs) and created jobs for over 30,000 women in 40 communities. The 52-year-old Murmu has also started initiatives to combat hunger and anaemia.

She has also fought against naxal activity, the timber mafia, and illicit logging.

SPECIALLY ABLED SOCIAL WORKER

Gurvinder Singh of Haryana was struck by a truck and rendered crippled from the waist down, but it didn’t stop him from striving to improve the lives of orphans, widows, and the impoverished.

Known as “Divyangjan ki Asha,” Singh has established a 300-child nursery and given over 6,000 accident victims and expectant mothers free ambulance services.

OTHER PADMA AWARDEES

Among those selected for the Padma awards is Sathyanarayana Beleri, a rice farmer from Kasaragod, Kerala. Known as “Seeding Sathya,” Beleri became known for protecting over 650 traditional rice types, earning it the title of “guardian of paddy crop.”

His unique “Polybag method” has also allowed him to preserve traditional arecanut, nutmeg, and black pepper seeds.

In addition, the 50-year-old Beleri is credited with popularising “Rajakayame” rice and increasing output in Tamil Nadu, Kerala, and Karnataka, three southern states.

Dukhu Majhi, 78, went by the name “Gaach Dadu” (gaach means tree in Bengali), and while riding his bicycle every day, he planted more than 5,000 banyan, mango, and blackberry trees on bare ground in Purulia, Bengal.

K Chellammal, an Andaman-based organic farmer who completed her education up to Class 6, has received recognition for her creative and cost-effective ways to guard against harm to coconut and palm plants.

The 69-year-old has farmed 2 hectares of coconut crop and gathered over 27,000 coconuts year.

The other recipients of the Padma awards are Yanung Jamoh Lego, who has treated more than 10,000 patients, Hemchand Manjhi, a practitioner of traditional medicine, and Sangthankima, who oversees the biggest orphanage in Mizoram.

The other recipients of the prize are Somanna, a tribal worker from Karnataka; Sarbeswar Basumatary, who has created a mixed integrated agricultural strategy; Prema Dhanraj, who offers burn patients free treatment; and Uday Vishwanath Deshpande, a coach from Mallakhamb.

Yazdi Maneksha Italia, who spearheaded the creation of India’s first Sickle Cell Anaemia Control Programme, Godna painters Shivan and Shanti Devi Paswan, folk musician Ratan Kahar, Tikuli painter Ashok Kumar Biswas, and well-known Kalluvazhi Kathakali dancer Balakrishnan Sadanam are also on the list. Among the 34 Padma awardees are Puthiya Veetil, legendary Theyyam folk dancer Narayanan EP, renowned sculptor Sanatan Rudra Pal, weaver Smriti Rekha Chakma, theatre artist Omprakash Sharma, first female Harikatha exponent Uma Maheshwari D. Krishna leela singer from Ganjam Gopinath Swain, and folk dancer Bhagabat Padhan.

The other unsung heroes to receive the award are theatre artist Gaddam Sammaiah; burra veena player Dasari Kondappa; brass Marori craftsperson Babu Ram Yadav; Manipur potter Machihan Sasa; bamboo craftsman Jordan Lepcha; burra veena exponent Badrappan M; burra veena player Dasari Kondappa; and Nepal Chandra Sutradhar, who makes Chhau masks.

SOURCE: https://www.indiatoday.in/india/story/padma-awards-2024-unsung-heroes-check-full-winners-list-2493743-2024-01-25