The government gave away the Padma awards, one of the highest civilian recognitions in the country, on Friday to honour people who have made an exceptional contribution in their respective fields of work.
Two people from Gujarat, Satyanarayansinh Shivsinh Rathore and Zaverilal Mehta, were conferred the Padma Shri. Here is more about them.
SS Rathore (Padma Shri)
Known as Gujarat’s ‘Highway and Canal Man’, Satyanarayansinh Shivsinh Rathore joined the state administration as an engineer and retired as the additional chief secretary in 2014.
During his stint at the Sardar Sarovar Narmada Nigam Limited (SSNNL), Rathore supervised the construction of canal network connected to the Sardar Sarovar Dam to supply drinking and irrigation water from the Narmada river. He was appointed SSNNL’s chairperson and managing director his retirement and is still serving on the post.
Rathore recently presided over the closing of radial gates of Sardar Sarovar Dam that marked the project’s completion 56 years after its foundation was laid. Rathore has also been looking after Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s ambitious project of building the statue of Sardar Patel.
Zaverilal Mehta (Padma Shri)
{{/usCountry}}Zaverilal Mehta (Padma Shri)
{{/usCountry}}‘A picture is worth a thousand words’ is probably the aptest way to talk about the veteran photojournalist. After starting his career as a freelancer for various English newspapers, Mehta has been telling stories from Gujarat through his photographs for decades.
Associated with Gujarat Samachar since the mid-80s, Mehta’s camera has captured compelling stories - the devastating Kutch cyclone of 1998 and the 2001 earthquake. He has also documented the life and time of as many as 13 chief ministers of the state through his lens.