They are among the unsung heroes who have been awarded the Padma Shri this year by the government for their contribution to society or the preservation of dying art forms. A look at some of them:

KV Rabia, 55 years old

A social worker from Malappuram in Kerala, Rabiya is paralyzed from the neck down. Her quote calls her a “brave heart who overcame endless personal tragedies, to serve others.” Despite being diagnosed with poliomyelitis at age 12, being diagnosed with cancer, in addition to being paralyzed, Rabiya worked tirelessly for the betterment of people with disabilities, according to her quotes. She opened six schools for children with special needs and trained and empowered more than 250 women through a small-scale manufacturing unit. “In over three decades of tireless effort, she has inspired many people and raised awareness of social issues such as drug addiction, dowry, and superstitions,” her quote reads.

Shakuntala Choudhary, 102

The Gandhian and freedom fighter from Kamrup in Gujarat has “silently promoted the value of service for seven decades”. Inspired by the ideologies of Mahatma Gandhi and Vinoba Bhave, Choudhary founded Gram Seva Kendras in the North East “who made enduring efforts in the field of social work” and worked for “villagers, especially women and children, through the Stree Shakti Jagaran movement even during adverse times”. times,” his quote reads.

Dilip Shahani, 71 years old

An engineer, academic and technocrat, Shahani is Chairman of the Technical Experts Committee of India’s Election Commission. He was conferred Padma Shri for “playing a role in India’s e-voting technology platform”. He is currently an Emeritus Professor at IIT Delhi. “One of the finest electronics experts, Shahani has contributed to the design and development of India’s EVM and VVPAT technology platforms,” ​​his quote reads.

Lata Desai, 75 years old

A pediatrician who, along with her husband, Dr. Anil Desai, quit her job in the United States to provide affordable health care in rural Gujarat, she has dedicated five decades to tribal uprising through her SEWA Rural initiative, providing treatment to over 24 lakh patients in 1,000 villages. “Empowering youth by creating vocational training centers that have benefited thousands of people so far,” his quote says.

Khalil Dhantejvi, 86 years old

Famous for popularizing Gujarati ghazals for over half a century, Dhantevi started his career as a journalist. Awarded Sarangi, Sadagi, Sopan and Saugaat titles for his literary work as a Gujarati-Urdu poet, he is the author of over eight books of poetry and nine novels in addition to directing 20 films in Gujarati. “Due to financial difficulties, he was unable to attend school after class 4, so he pledged to sponsor the education of underprivileged children,” his quote reads.

Himmatrao Bawaskar, 71 years old

Mahad General Practitioner in Maharshtra is widely known for his treatment of scorpion poisoning and snake bites. “Coming from a modest background, he started treating the poor for scorpion stings and snakebites in rural areas despite the lack of resources. He discovered the use of Prazosin in the treatment, which reduced the mortality rate from 40% to less than 1%,” his quote reads.

Lourembam Bino Devi, 77 years old

Veteran applique artist from Manipur who revived Leeba pattern art. Coming from a humble rural background, she single-handedly kept alive the rapidly disappearing art of ornamental sewing for five decades. “His patterns represent the culture of the Meitei community. To preserve the art by imparting to students the knowledge she herself learned from her mother-in-law,” her quote reads.

VL Nghaka, 91 years old

A key figure in the establishment of the Mizoram Hindi Prachar Sabha in 1954 for the promotion of the Hindi language, Nghaka has propagated Hindi language and education in Mizoram for over six decades. “He built a cultural bridge between the Hindi and Mizo language by writing a Hindi-Mizo dictionary. As an interpreter, he was instrumental in bringing the government and the Mizo people closer together,” his quote reads.

Gamit Ramilaben Raysingbhai, 52 years old

A tribal social worker from Tapi in Gujarat, Raysingbhai received the award for his contribution to education, healthcare and sanitation. “Coming from a very humble background in Tapi, Raysingbhai has worked at the local level to maximize the effect. Her dedicated efforts have enabled nine villages to become open defecation free. She has established over 300 health units and organized open defecation and sickle cell awareness events in the tribal belts,” the quote reads.

Girdhari Ram Ghonju, 72 years old

Ghonju has been working to promote Nagpuri culture for over five decades. A Nagpuri writer and pedagogue from Ranchi, he has worked for the upliftment of the regional language and culture of Jharkhand. “He is the author of more than 25 books and plays, especially on safeguarding local heritage and cultural identity of Nagpuria. He raised awareness of the rights of tribal and forest dwellers,” his quote reads.

Prabhaben Shah, 91

Daman and Diu’s social worker has worked for women’s empowerment and environmental protection for more than six decades. “With a motto of serving all, she worked for the betterment of people. Conducted awareness programs and organized “Vastra Bank” for flood victims in Kutch. She opened a canteen for patients and economically weaker people in hospitals,” her quote reads.

Gosavedu Shaik Hassan, 93 years old

A freedom fighter and representative of Nadaswaram, he served and dedicated his life at the historic temple of Sri Seetha Ramachandra Swamy at Bhadrachalam. “Daily for the past seven decades, he has performed Nadaswaram as Suprabahtham for Lord Sri Rama. Performed at festivals in Telangana and Andhra Pradesh,” his quote reads.

Acharya Chandanaji, 84 years old

Jain spiritual leader and social worker, Chandanji has dedicated her life to uplifting and empowering the poor in rural Bihar. She launched Veerayatan, an NGO with centers in more than 10 countries working in the field of health, education and spirituality. “She founded Netra Jyoti Seva Mandir and ran eye care camps and other health care. Apart from establishing 36 vocational training centers, it has initiated emergency relief programs during natural calamities,” its citation reads.