Padma Sri for DN Bezbaruah, three others

BY Our Staff Reporter

Guwahati, Jan 25: Veteran jourlist, eminent writer and founder editor of The Sentinel Dhirendra th Bezbaruah has been conferred the Padma Sri by President Prab Mukherjee. Three other persolities from the State Prahlad Chandra Tasa, Kameshwaram Brahma and Ajoy Kumar Dutta have also been conferred with the honour in the fields of Literature & Education and Social Work.

"You always feel good when you get such kind of honour. I am being bombarded with calls from friends and relatives. Frankly, I must admit that I never expected such a recognition from the government as I have always been its critic," Bezbaruah said, when asked about his feelings on receiving the honour.

This year the President has approved conferment of Padma Awards to 112 persons. The list comprises of 10 Padma Vibhushan, 19 Padma Bhushan and 83 Padma Shri awardees.  Nineteen of the awardees are women and the list also includes 10 persons from the category of foreigners, NRIs, PIOs (include one posthumous) and 4 posthumous awardees.

Manipur's Heism Kanhailal has been conferred the Padma Bhushan in the field of Art-Theatre.

Other Padma Sris from the Northeast include Tokheho Sema of galand (Pubic Affairs) and Professor Vee Tandon of Meghalaya (Science & Engineering).

Police medals

By our Staff Reporter

GUWAHATI, Jan 25: Sixteen police personnel from Assam havew been awarded by the resident on the eve of this year's Republic Day.

IGP (CID) Yatendra Kumar Gautam has been chosen for the President's police medal for distinguished service. Five personnel have been awarded medals for gallantry - the then Goalpara SP Nitul Gogoi, the then Goalpara ASP Rosie Kalita, SI Jyoti Prasad Handique, constables Bipul Kumar Thapa and Rajib Kumar Rabha.

Police medals for meritorious service have been announced for Kamrup SP Indrani Baruah, SB inspector Dharanidhar Mahanta, SI (AB) Tapan Kumar Mahanta, ASI Panne Lal Gupta, ASI Sandip Deb, Havildar Ajit Kalita, Havildar Binod Singh and constable Arjun Kumar Thakur.

President's Home Guards and Civil Defence Medal has gone to Subhash Chandra Das.