JN Goswami, Eli Ahmed honoured with Padma Shri

Late PA Sangma conferred Padma Vibhushan posthumously

BY OUR BUREAU

GUWAHATI/SHILLONG, Jan 25: Renowned scientist Dr Jitendra th Goswami and noted write-activist Eli Ahmed from Assam were on Wednesday med for the prestigious Padma Shri, the country's fourth highest civilian award, among other Padma award winners.

A highly decorated scientist, Dr JN Goswami was the Chief Scientist of Chandrayaan-1, and also associated with Chandrayaan-2 and Mangalyaan projects. Celebrated as the 'Moon Man of India', he has served as Director of Physical Research Laboratory, Ahmadabad and in several other key positions in the country's space programme.

Eli Ahmed is a renowned writer, script writer, director, lyricist, costume designer, actress and social activist. Her books include "Romanthan" and "Asom Jyoti" and have garnered critical acclaim. She is also the editor, publisher and proprietor of 'OraniI', the women's magazine.

She is best known for her play 'Ami Abhinoy Kora i', a drama based on physically handicapped children, child labour and child education.

Chief Minister Sarbanda Sonowal congratulated both Ahmed and Goswami for bagging the Padma Shri honours for the year 2017.

In a statement issued on Thursday, Sonowal said, "Assam is proud of the honour bestowed on Eli Ahmed and Jitendra th Goswami in recognition of their contributions in the fields of literature, education, science and engineering respectively. People of Assam are happy as the talents of Assam have got recognition at the tiol level".

He also said the Padma Awards to Ahmed and Goswami will give a major boost to literature and science and engineering in the State. 

Meanwhile, former Lok Sabha Speaker, the late Purno Agitok Sangma has been conferred the Padma Vibhushan posthumously. He has become the first recipient from Meghalaya to be awarded the country's second-highest civilian honour.

"It is an honour for the people of the Northeastern States and especially to our community (Garo tribals) that the government has conferred Padma Vibhushan to him," Sangma's widow Soradini K Sangma told IANS over phone from Australia.

"We are honoured. We feel that the award is in recognition to his selfless service and contribution to the people and to the tion," she added, while thanking Prime Minister rendra Modi and the selection committee for bestowing the award.

IANS adds & agencies further add: Seven sportspersons, including Indian cricket team captain Virat Kohli and Olympian Sakshi Malik were among the Padma Shri recipients announced on Wednesday. Senior political leaders Sharad Pawar and Murli Manohar Joshi will be conferred the Padma Vibushan this year while Grammy-winning classical musician Vishwa Mohan Bhatt was med for the Padma Bhushan.

President Prab Mukherjee has med 89 persons for the country's top civilian awards, including seven Padma Bhushan and 75 Padma Shri awards, on the occasion of country's 68th Republic Day.

The awardees include 19 women and five NRIs/PIOs (Persons of Indian Origin), while six of the awards are being given posthumously.

Besides Pawar and Joshi, KJ Yesudas (for Art-Music), Sadhguru Jaggi Vasudev (Spiritualism), Professor Udipi Ramachandra Rao (Science and Engineering) and late Sunder Lal Patwa have been med for Padma Vibhushan awards.

Recipients of Padma Bhushan awards include Vishwa Mohan Bhatt (Art-Music), Professor Devi Prasad Dwivedi (Literature and Education), Tehemton Udwadia (Medicine), Rat Sundar Maharaj (Spiritualism), Swami Niranja nda Saraswati (Yoga), HRH Princess Maha Chakri Sirindhorn (Literature and Education) of Thailand and late Cho Ramaswamy (Literature-Education-Jourlism).

Out of 75 Padma Shri awardees, singer Kailash Kher and Anuradha Paudwal, cricketer Virat Kohli, gymst Dipa Karmakar, wrestler Sakshi Malik, paralympic athlete Deepa Malik and well-known chef Sanjeev Kapoor are the prominent persolities who have been honoured.