As we know that the fourth-highest civilian award, the Padma Award was conferred by President Ram Nath Kovind at a Civil Investiture Ceremony-I & II, at Rashtrapati Bhavan on November 08, 2021.

Many of those who were given Padma awards recently have very modest backgrounds, but the spirit of their work makes them stand in the line of extraordinary people.

When the grand ceremony of Padma awards was going on in the Durbar Hall of Rashtrapati Bhavan, then a person proceeded towards President Ram Nath Kovind to take the Padma award, who did not even have slippers on his feet. When he arrived to receive the Padma award in a white dhoti and shirt, the Durbar Hall erupted with applause.

This person is none other than Harekala Hajabba of Karnataka who sells oranges by hawking the roads. The President honored Harekala Hajabba of Karnataka with the Padma Shri award for social work, one of the country’s most coveted honors.

Harekala Hajabba himself is not educated due to lack of school in the village, but he did not want to let the other children of the village suffer this pain and he succeeded in opening the school for the village after a long struggle.

No slippers in the feet, no expressions on the face, but Padma Shri in the hands are some of the pictures seeing which the soul becomes happy. Gone are the days when Padma Awards were given on personal preference.

Today, those who made the country proud, the Padma award came with them. A leader Jannayaks, who have dedicated their lives for the society beyond name and fame, are now getting a new identity!

It gives peace of mind to see the unsung heroes and real deserving people of society being honoured with the civilian honor ‘Padma Samman’.

Today, grassroots achievers are being recognized for their exemplary efforts towards public betterment. Over the years, our government has honoured hundreds of unsung heroes with Padma awards for their achievement in various fields and their contribution to society.

Government considers every person important in the development of the country, which is why there are many names in the Padma Awards for 2020-21, which common people did not know earlier. These are people who are usually not seen before in the world of media or TV. The way the government has given respect to people beyond imagination is unique.

Hajabba comes from a village called Newpadapu in Karnataka. It did not have a single school, leaving generations of people in the village uneducated including the orange vendor. In 1978, an incident on the job made him realise the need for education.

Though illiterate, the fruit seller, who understood the importance of education, opened a school in the year 2000 in his village near Bangalore with his deposits. Beginning with around 28 students, it has become a center of elementary education for the people of the area and now, it accommodates over 178 students till Class 10.

Environmental warrior Tulsi Gowda

Born in a poor tribal family, Tulsi Gowda ji never went to school but she has so much knowledge about the plants and herbs found in the forest that she is called ‘Encyclopedia of Forest’.

Rahibai Soma Popere ji ‘Seed Mother’

Rahibai Soma Popere ji, a tribal woman of Ahmednagar district of Maharashtra is a strong example of women empowerment. She is known as ‘Seed Mother’. She gave a new height to organic farming. Padma Awards have been given to all such unsung heroes whose stories inspire.

Now this award denotes the word Peoples Padma!