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Watch: PM Modi bows to Padma Shri awardee Hirbai Ibrahim Lobi, who is she?
Hirbai Ibrahim Lobi was among the 106 people conferred with the Padma award on Wednesday by President Droupadi Murmu at Rashtrapati Bhawan, in New Delhi.
President Droupadi Murmu on Wednesday conferred 106 Padma awards to people hailing from different fields such as art, public affairs, science, etc - to honour their contributions for the betterment of the society. Among the Padma Shri awardees, a video of Hirbai Ibrahim Lobi of her interacting with Prime Minister Narendra Modi is being widely shared on social media - as the two shared a touching moment.
Lobi, who hails from Gujarat was conferred the award for her extensive work for the betterment of the state's Siddi community and women's empowerment. At the event, when Lobi encountered PM Modi sitting in the front row, along with several union ministers, she stopped to say a few words of appreciation for him.
On seeing her, the hall echoed with clapping and PM Modi bowed after which the 70-year-old Padma awardee conveyed her sentiments.
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"Mere pyaare Narendra Bhai, apne hamari jholi khushiyon se bhar di (Dear Narendra Bhai, you have filled our lives with happiness)," she was quoted as saying by news agency ANI. "Nobody gave us any recognition and nobody bothered about us till you did and you brought us to the forefront,” she added as the audience once again gave a huge round of applause.
Who is Hirbai Ibrahim Lobi?
Lobi is the president of ‘Adivasi Mahila Sangh’, also known as ‘Siddi Women's Federation’. Brought up by her grandparents, she works to provide education to the children of the Siddi community through many balwadis which she has founded. She has also worked for the financial independence of the women of the Siddi community.
Cooperative movements, family planning, community schools are some of the initiatives that she spearheaded or is associated with. Before this recognition, she has been the recipient of several awards such as ‘Samman Patra’ by Gujarat Agriculture University in Junagadh, ‘Women's World Summit Foundation's Prize for Women's Creativity in Rural Living', ‘Jankidevi Bajaj Puraskar for Outstanding Woman Rural Entrepreneur’ in 2006.
