[Watch] 11 From Odisha Receive Padma Awards From President Ram Nath Kovind

New Delhi:  Eleven personalities from Odisha received Padma awards for their notable contributions towards the welfare of society from President Ram Nath Kovind at the 2020 Civil Investiture Ceremony at Rashtrapati Bhavan on Monday.

Litterateur Manoj Das has been conferred with Padma Bhushan (posthumously) for his contribution to literature. He passed away in Puducherry on April 27 at the age of 87. He had received the Padma Shri in 2001 and Sahitya Akademi Award Fellowship in 2006.

The recipient of Padma Shri from Odisha are Dr Damayanti Beshra – Literature and Education; Utsav Charan Das –Art; Mitrabhanu Gountia – Art; Manmohan Mahapatra (posthumous) – Art; Binapani Mohanty – Literature and Education; Radha Mohan and Sabarmatee – Agriculture; Batakrushna Sahoo – Animal Husbandry; Dr Digambar Behera – Medicine; Dr. Prasanta Kumar Pattanaik – Literature and Education and Guru Shashadhar Acharya – Art.

Dr Beshra is a renowned Litterateur of Santali language. She has received numerous awards and honours for her contribution to Odia and Santali literature. Sahoo, known as ‘Bata Babu’, is a fish farmer of excellence. He is an innovative farmer and social worker motivating farmers to practice aquaculture by adopting scientific management practices. Acharya is a renowned Chhau dance performer. Recipient of several awards and honours, he has numerous new choreographies and dance compositions to his credit.

Radhamohan was the founder of Sambhav, an organisation dedicated to environment and gender issues. Sabarmatee, popularly known as ‘Tiki apa’, is the co-founder of Sambhav. She is also known for organic farming and biodiversity conservation.

Notably, the Padma awards ceremony, slated for April 3, 2020, was postponed in the wake of the novel coronavirus outbreak.

Among the 141 Padma Awardees for 2020, seven received Padma Vibhushan while 16 were conferred with Padma Bhusan and 118 with Padma Shri awards. While 34 awardees are women and 18 foreigners. 12 received the award posthumously.