Padma Shri honour for 9 achievers from NE
Source: The Sangai Express

Guwahati, January 28 2018: Nine noted personalities from the North East have made it to the list of recipients of the prestigious Padma Shri award which was announced on the occasion of the 69th Republic Day this year.

The names include a world champion weightlifter, a social worker, educationalists, writers, a journalist, a weaver, a Gandhian, a former tennis star and a children's author.

The Padma awards � comprising Padma Vibhushan, Padma Bhushan and Padma Shri � are the highest civilian honours in the country.

These awards provide recognition to people for their exceptional achievements in the fields of art, social work, literature, sports, medicine and others.

The awards will be conferred by the President of India during ceremonial functions at the Rashtrapati Bhawan around March or April this year.

From Assam, famous children's author, educationist and chronicler of the North East, Arup Kumar Dutta, as well as journalist and the Editor of 'The Assam Tribune', Prafulla Govinda Baruah, were included in the list in the category of journalism, literature and education.

Joyshree Goswami Mahanta, writer and educationist, as well as the wife of former Chief Minister Prafulla Kumar Mahanta, was included in the category of literature and education.

Arup Kumar Dutta said, "This award is prestigious but for a writer, the important thing is to get a feedback from the readers.

Through my books, I try to reach out to my readers.

For the past five decades, I have been writing books and articles devoted to Assam and the North East.

80% of my output focusses on the North East and I try to reach out to outsiders and inform them about the region" .

From Manipur, world champion weightlifter Saikhom Mirabai Chanu, who won gold in the 48-kg category at the 2017 World Weightlifting Championship, and traditional art weaver Langpoklakpam Subadani Devi made it to the list.

Chanu won gold at the World Weightlifting Championships held in Anaheim, USA last November, becoming the first Indian in over two decades to achieve the feat.

From Mizoram, A Zakia was included in the category of literature and education while former ace tennis star Somdev Devvarman from Tripura was included in the sports category while from Nagaland, Lentina Ao Thakkar, a Gandhian social worker and educationist, and litterateur Piyong Temjen Jamir were included in categories of social work and literature respectively.

Comment