Padma Vibhushan for two, Padma Shri for nine in Uttar Pradesh

Padma Bhushan conferred on Uttar Pradesh’s Rashid Khan for art and Vashishth Tripathi for literature; 12 years of uninterrupted efforts on the hockey turf for India pay rich dividends to ace forward Vandana Katariya, as she is chosen for the Padma Shri award

LUCKNOW The centre announced the names of Padma awardees on the eve of Republic Day. Among other honours, those on the list from Uttar Pradesh included former chief minister Kalyan Singh and Gita Press chairman Radheyshyam Khemka who were honoured with Padma Vibhushan posthumously while Padma Bhushan was conferred upon Rashid Khan (for art) and Vashishth Tripathi (for literature and education).

Gita Press chairman Radheyshyam Khemka was conferred with Padma Vibhushan posthumously for his valuable contribution in the field of literature. (Sourced)

This year, the President approved conferment of 128 Padma Awards including 4 Padma Vibhushan, 17 Padma Bhushan -- 2 from Uttar Pradesh in each of the two categories and 107 Padma Shri Awards including 9 from the state.

The nine Padma Shri awardees from UP were: Kamalini Asthana and Nalini Asthana (duo), Shivnath Mishra, Sheesh Ram and Ajita Srivastava -- all from the field of art; Seth Pal Singh for agriculture; Vidya Vindu Singh for literature and education; Sivananda for yoga; Ajay Kumar Sonkar for science and engineering and Dr Kamlakar Tripathi in the field of medicine.

Kalyan Singh passed away on August 21 last year due to sepsis and multi-organ failure. Popularly known as ‘Babuji’, he became the chief minister of the state for the first time in 1991 and was seen as an icon of Hindu nationalism and torchbearer of the Ram Temple movement in the 90s.

Chairman of Gita Press Trust Board and Chief Editor- Kalyan magazine, Radheyshyam Khemka, was conferred with Padma Vibhushan posthumously for his valuable contribution in the field of literature. He was editor since November 1982 and last edited the issue of April 2021.

Gorakhpur’s Gita Press is known for printing and publishing largest number of Hindu religious texts including Bhagwad Gita and Kalyan magazine, published in multiple languages. Born in Bihar’s Munger on December 12, 1935, Khemka died in Varanasi nine months ago at the age of 87 on April 3, 2021 following age related illness. Prime Minister NaranModi also had paid him tribute on twitter.

Padma Bhushan was announced for Prof Vashishth Tripathi, a renowned scholar of Nyay Shastra, for his contribution to the field of literature and education. He taught Nyay Shastra in Sampurnanad Sanskrit University (SSU) and retired in 2000. His pupil Prof Hareram Tripathi is vice-chancellor of SSU. Padma Shri was also announced for Pt Shivnath Mishra, a former teacher of sitar in SSU.

Prolific Hindi writer Vidya Vindu Singh, known for her broad work in Awadhi language, was conferred Padma Award for her work in literature and education. “It is a moment of great honour for me to have been bestowed with Padma Shri. The award not only gives recognition for the work I have done but also provides immense motivation to continue it,” said Singh who lives in Ayodhya.

Singh has written over a 100 books in Hindi touching upon every form of litrature. She retired as the secretary of Hindi Sansthan. Besides literature, she is popular in the field of social work.

Padma Shri was conferred on 100-year-old yoga enthusiast Swami Sivanand, who lives in Kabir Nagar area of Kashi. His disciple Sanjay Sarvajan claimed that Baba was around 126 years old. Sarvajan said he received information about the Padma Shri award through a call from the union ministry of home.

Twelve years of uninterrupted efforts on the hockey turf for India paid rich dividends to ace forward Vandana Katariya on Tuesday, as she was conferred with the Padma Shri award. She has already been given the UP government’s prestigious Rani Laxmi Bai Award.

An ex-inmate of the state government-run girls’ hockey hostel in Lucknow, Katariya (who completed her 250 international caps for the country) is currently representing the Indian women’s hockey team at the prestigious Women’s Asia Cup 2022 in Muscat.

The 29-year-old forward has been an integral part of the Indian team since her senior India debut in 2009 at the age of 17. Though she hails from Roshnabad in Haridwar district of Uttarakhand, Katariya has been a regular face of UP as she learnt the basics of the game in Lucknow after migrating to the state capital.

She forms an experienced attacking line for the Indian team and has been part of India’s several significant feats, including the title win at the Asian Champions Trophy in 2016, Asia Cup in 2017, Asian Games bronze in 2014 and silver in 2018, among several other achievements. The double Olympian who grabbed the limelight during the Tokyo Olympics when she became the first Indian women’s hockey player to score a hat-trick of goals in an Olympic Games match, made it to the Indian junior women’s team in 2006.

The versatile forward was the country’s top scorer at the FIH Hockey Junior World Cup Women 2013 in Monchengladbach, Germany where India won a bronze medal. The same year saw Katariya being a part of the team that won the bronze medal at the 8th Women’s Asia Cup in Malaysia.

“It’s really a great moment for Uttar Pradesh Hockey and we wish all success to Vandana in her career. Her hat-trick was remarkable and we hope that she would continue to serve India as well as UP for long,” said UP Hockey’s secretary, RP Singh on Tuesday.

Contribution to Awadhi lit recognized

Author of 118 books, noted writer of Awadhi literature and folk culture Dr Vidya Vindu Singh has been given Padma Shri award. Resident of Gokhale Vihar Marg in Lucknow, Singh said, “I will try to serve Awadhi literature to the best of my ability till I am alive. I am elated that my little contribution to the Awadhi literature has been recognized.”

A PhD from BHU and a former government servant, she was born on July 2, 1945. Vidya Vindu Singh is fluent in English, Hindi, Bangla and Sanskrit. Her books on Awadhi literature like Awadhi Sahitya Mein Prakriiti Pooja, Awadhi Lok Sangeet Virasat, Dholak Rani More Nit Uthi Ayu, Hiranya Garbha, Kashiwas, Shri Hari Nam Mahima, Neermati, Awadhi Vachik Katha Lok: Abhipraya Chintan etc are popular among Awadhi speaking population and these books are used as references for research in Awadhi Literature.

She said, “This is not only my honour but the honour of every Awadhi speaking person whose contribution to literature was going unnoticed. If anyone asks me what I expect from the government, then I will ask them to establish an Awadhi Akademi where people can come and research for the development of the language.”

Prayagraj’s pearl scientist honoured

Ajai Kumar Sonkar, who has been conferred Padma Shri, originally hails from the Sangam city. He has his key pearl culture and production lab in Andaman islands besides a lab in Naini, Prayagraj. He had successfully transported Pinctada margaritifera, commonly known as the black-lip pearl oyster, from Andaman and Nicobar Islands to his lab in Naini and produced pearls using his special technique here, an achievement that had earned him praise from President Ram Nath Kovind who had also invited him to Rashtrapati Bhawan on October 19, 2021. He had made a lab in Naini after Covid-19 brought activities to a halt last year.

List of his achievements start with his developing and perfecting the technique to produce nucleated spherical pearls in freshwater. He then discovered an Indian shell which is most suitable for nuclei production and developed his own technique to fabricate the best quality of nuclei—essential for quality pearl. The black pearl produced in his lab in Andamans had earned praise from the then President APJ Abdul Kalam