Page 20 - Mann Ki Baat January, 2023
P. 20
PEOPLE’S PADMA
Recognising the Unsung Heroes of Our Society
Many Padma awardees K.C. Runremsangi of Mizoram,
Dhaniram Toto of West Bengal,
are those friends among us,
Kushok Thiksey Nawang Chamba
who always kept the country
Stanzin of Ladakh, Premjit Baria
paramount, dedicating their
of Dadra and Nagar Haveli
lives to the principle of 'Nation
and Daman and Diu, and Rani
First'. They remained engaged
Machaiah of Karnataka— Do you
in their work with devotion and
know what binds these people
never expected any reward for
from diverse fields hailing from
it. The satisfaction on the face
different corners of the country?
of those for whom they are The mantra of ‘Seva Parmo
working is the biggest award for Dharma’. And for their inherent
them. I request you to know in sense of selfless service towards
detail about the inspirational life their communities and the
of these Padma awardees and country at large, they have been
tell others as well. conferred the Padma Awards
this year, now also known as the
-Prime Minister Narendra Modi
‘People’s Padma’.
(in his ‘Mann ki Baat’ address)
As stated by the Prime
Minister, democracy is in our
veins, our culture, and has been
an integral part of our work for
centuries. “Democracy is not
"Among the remarkable only of the people, by the people,
features of India in the for the people but also with the
post-2014 period is the people, within the people.” This
determined efforts to deepen
our society’s democratic is the ethos that People’s Padma
urges. The conversion of the follows and honours.
Padma awards to a genuine In 2016, the entire process
celebration of grassroots of nomination and selection
achievement, to a 'People’s of Padma awardees was
Padma', is among the visible
examples of this." democratised and made
-Ashok Malik transparent. Departing from the
Member, Padma Awards tradition of selected persons
Committee 2022
recommending the nominations,
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