93 file nominations for Padma awards from state

Jotirmay Thapliyal

Tribune News Service

Dehradun, September 16

Around 93 persons from Uttarakhand are eyeing the 2017 Padma awards. They are litterateur, folk artistes, social workers, former bureaucrats and doctors.

The last date of filing nominations was September 15. The over-enthusiasm shown by applicants this year is due to the start of online filing of nominations for the award. Earlier, eight persons applied for Padma Shri, nine for Padma Bhushan and three for Padma Vibhushan.

Social worker Swami Chidanand Saraswati has filed nomination for Padma Vibhushan while DN Joshi in the field of art and Abhishek Rana in other category.

For Padma Bhushan, the nominees are Acharya Balkrishna for medicine, Mahant Devendra Dass ji Maharaj, Monica Dutta and Leeladhar Jagudi in the field of literature and education; Anil Prakash Joshi for social work, Dr Yashodhar Mathpal in Arts, Shailesh Rawat in art, Bijan Bihari Lal in science and engineering and Manoj Pangtey in the field of arts.

For Padma Shri, neurosurgeon Dr Mahesh Kuriyal, mountaineer sisters Tashi Malik and Nungshi Malik, computer wizard Aman Rehman, Ajay Kothiyal (social work), folk singers Pritam Bharatwan and Basanti Bisht, film star Himani Shivpuri, literary personality Jagdish Babla, former civil servant Raghunandan Singh Tolia (civil service), Prakash Chandra Pant in arts and social worker Kiran Ulfat Goyal are prominent personalities.

The nominations will now be placed before the Padma Awards Committee. The Central government has amended the rules for nominating eminent persons for Padma awards this year. According to new norms, you can only apply online for various categories of the top civilian honours and to complete the registration process Aadhaar number is a must.