The Padma Awards were revealed on Wednesday, honoring a number of unsung heroes who have made a difference in a variety of sectors.
Dilip Mahalanabis, a physician who served in refugee camps during the 1971 Bangladesh conflict and pioneered the use of oral rehydration solutions around the world to save more than five crore lives, was one of 26 unsung heroes chosen for the prized Padma awards on the eve of Republic Day.
Prime minister Narendra Modi took to Twitter to congratulate all who have been conferred with the prestigious award.
Among the 26 individuals honoured with the Padma Shri award are unsung heroes Ratan Chandra Kar, Hirabai Lobi, and Munishwar Chander Dawar.
Here are some unsung heroes honoured with Padma Awards in 2023.
Dilip Mahalanabis (Padma Vibhushan): The 87-year-old pediatrician has earned posthumous recognition for establishing the widespread use of oral rehydration solution (ORS), which has resulted in a 93 percent decrease in mortality from diarrhea, cholera, and dehydration, particularly in newborns. Mahalanabis (87) from West Bengal has been selected for this year’s Padma Vibhushan, the country’s second-highest civilian award.
Ratan Chandra Kar (Padma Shri): Kar, a former government physician from the Andaman Islands, has been working with the Jarawa tribe on the island. He provided care for the residents of the town during the 1999 measles outbreak and saved them from extinction.
Hirabai Lobi (Padma Shri): An advocate for the Siddi people in Gujarat, Lobi is a social worker from a tribal community. In addition to promoting women's financial independence, she has been providing the neighborhood's kids access to education.
Munishwar Chander Dawar (Padma Shri): The doctor, who served in the Indo-Pak War in 1971, has been providing care to the poor for the past 50 years. Dawar now treats the less fortunate members of society for a minimal fee of Rs 20, up from a dismal Rs 2 in the 2010s.
Ramkuiwangbe Newme (Padma Shri): The Naga social worker has devoted his entire life to working to safeguard the Heraka religion. The activist, who is 75 years old, is renowned for organising awareness-raising events to preserve and advance indigenous culture.
VP Appukuttan Poduval (Padma Shri): The Gandhian and freedom fighter was an active member of the 1942 Quit India Movement. For the last eight decades, he has received recognition for his humanitarian efforts to improve the lives of the less fortunate members of society.
Sankurathri Chandra Sekhar (Padma Shri): The social worker from Kakinada dedicated his life to providing the poor with free access to healthcare and education. After losing his wife and two children in the Air India Kanishka bombing, he made the decision to turn his sorrow into a lifetime dedication to improving society.
Vadivel Gopal and Masi Sadaiyan (Padma Shri): The Irula tribe's snake catchers are experts in capturing the most hazardous and deadly snakes. They are from a tribe that has contributed much to the medical field through the antivenoms they have amassed.
Tula Ram Upreti (Padma Shri): The organic farmer from Sikkim, who is 98 years old, has been educating and motivating other farmers to use natural agricultural methods. He has been involved in organic farming since he was a little boy, sixty years before the Sikkim government established the Sikkim Organic Mission.
KC Runremsangi (Padma Shri): For almost three decades, the Mizo folk singer from Aizawl has been acknowledged for preserving the Mizo cultural legacy. She received the Sangeet Natak Akademi Award in 2017 and is noted for recording various Mizo traditional songs.
