It was a moment of elation for eight from Gujarat who were selected for Padma honours. The awardees said that the recognition will inspire them to work harder. While B V Doshi, selected for Padma Bhushan, could not be contacted, he had said earlier that his work is an extension of his life, philosophy, and dreams.
Prof Sudhir Jain, the founder-director of IIT-Gn, said that the prize is a great honour. “I am humbled. Much of my earthquake engineering work happened in Gujarat after 2001,” he said. “And I got a chance of institution building at IIT-Gn. Thus, I owe a lot to Gujarat.” He said the award was a recognition of his colleagues too.
Two stalwarts from performing arts have been selected for Padma awards. Shahbuddin Rathod, the renowned humourist from Thangadh, charted a new path in Gujarati dayro and narrative style. Yazdi Karanjia from Surat keeps the Parsi theatre tradition alive. “Today, the nation has appreciated me and my work in the fields of arts and culture,” Karanjia said. “I humbly accept this and thank all my colleagues and family.”
Gaffur Bilakhia, a Vapi businessman, has been recognized for his contribution to trade and industries. Dr Gurdip Singh has been honoured for his contribution to medicine. Narayan J Joshi ‘Karayal’, the founder of Kachchi Sahitya Kala Sangh, works for the revival of Kachchi language.
Dr H M Desai, the vice-chancellor of Nadiad-based Dharmasinh Desai University (DDU), said that he will accept the award on the behalf of the entire staff of the university and the hospital his institution runs. “It’s collective work for excellence and we are hopeful that the recognition will bring focus to our initiatives,” he said.
