Padma Awards 2021 rightly called Peoples Padma

2021 Padma awardees list is so impressive.  #PadmaAwards2021  #PeoplesPadma

And everyone is talking about it. Numerous articles showing select few awardees. It’s showing up on FB feed of Mangalore, Karnataka, Northeast, Athletics based pages, PT Usha and so many more. It’s showing up in WhatsApp group - someone knows someone who knew them.  

It feels so much pride to see individual pictures of awardees accepting from President Kovind - and then reading about the stuff they did. They are not shining blazing stars - they are being awarded for a lifetime of hard-work. It’s amazing to see even in today’s jaded world people who worked for society. 

Past few decades I think, nations 4th, 3rd & 2nd Highest Civilian Honors hardly got media attention unless it was awarded to select Film personalities. Those are the only names that stuck out boldly.

This years list is huge. 102 personalities got Padma Shri. Lots of names are known as they received for known work. 

Padma Awards 2020, 2021: Full list of Padma Vibhushan, Padma Bhushan, Padma Shri recipients.

Inspiring! The 2020 Padma Shri Awardees.

Salute these AMAZING Padma Shri Awardees - numerous folks are what is called unsung heroes. Their unsophisticated approach at the award ceremonies show they haven't spent their life being celebrated; instead they have been working throughout.

PIX: President Kovind confers Padma awards on 73.

 

Awardees from Karnataka

Meet Karnataka’s Padma awardees.

Padma awardees of Karnataka.

Padma Vibhushan honour for Pejawar seer’s visionary work.

‘Akshara Santa’ Harekala Hajabba receives Padma Shri award from President.

 

30000 trees and counting: 'Encyclopedia of Forest' Tulasi Gowda elated at receiving Padma Shri.

Transgender folk dancer Manjamma Jogati receives Padma Shri. She is dancer of Jogathi Nritya, a folk dance form of North Karnataka. In 2019, she became the first transwoman to head the Karnataka Janapada Academy, state's top institution for folk arts.

Dr Vijay Sankeshwar - VRL group.

#Respect: Meet the 11 TBI Heroes Who Won the Padma Awards This Year

Sports personalities who really shined past few years.

PIX: Padma Bhushan for Sindhu; Rani gets Padma Shri.

Watch: Neeraj Chopra, Mithali Raj and other athletes conferred the Khel Ratna award.

Many unsung heroes from North-east

Meet Padma Shri Lakhimi Baruah: Changing lives of hundreds in rural Assam.

 

 

Some unintentionally loved personalities by youngsters.

Internet celebrates as popular physicist, textbook author HC Verma conferred Padma Shri award.

Business leaders conferred Padma awards in 2021.

India Republic Day Parade 2016

Watching India's Republic Day has been my yearly ritual, whenever life has been steady. In school days Every year, it was a much needed holiday. That meant to sleep late and watch this on TV, lying under a blanket.

This year I could watch it the day before, as a late night show, being in a different timezone.
And Thanks to Youtube for their live telecast.


Hubby and me chattered and gossiped about each of the display. The first set of military parade was boring for me as a child. We would impatiently wait for the cultural ones to start. But wow, now it was so impressive to my adult eyes now. Hubby says, "Doosre country walon ki phat jati hai, yeh parade dekhke."

Karnataka set was lovely. Huge sculptures related to coffee and smaller ones about laptop. Maybe 4 people walking by in the traditional outfits. Immediately I say, "ya because rest of the folks are busy working in IT offices". Nobody takes a weekday off for anything else.

And there was the jhanki of Assam. Beautiful Assamese folks dressed in lovely Assamese silk and Mehkla-chaddor dancing Bihu.

Other set that I usually watch out for and cheer is Maharashtra. But I didn't find it this year.

India Fest in StPaul, MN

India Independence Day was celebrated in Minnesota this weekend. It was hosted in Capitol Hills Ground in St Paul. This is the state headquarters.

There were display booth from many Minnesota based Fortune 500 companies like Target & Ameriprise. Twins (baseball team of Minnesota) and batting & bowling booth where kids got a chance to tryout. There were food stalls from many Indian restaurants. All guests, of India and American origin, enjoyed the colorful spread here. Many booths sold sparkly Indian ethnic-wear and kites, while some made henna patterns for the guests.

Talent show was hosted all day on a stage. Many youngsters and other age groups got a chance to showcase their dance, choreography, singing and event management skills. This “India Fest” event is organized every year by “Indian Association of Minnesota” every year (http://www.iamn.org/).

It was attended by more than 10000 people. Mr. B Jayananda Shetty from Udupi participated in the event this year, “It is amazing to watch the organized way of celebration Indian independence day so far from the country and the immense respect America has for India and its people.”

Governor Mark Dayton was the chief guest of honor. He proclaimed it official the “India fest Day”. 4 other senators also addressed the crowds. They acknowledged the contribution of Indian community and immigrants, benefiting USA and the community. Governor hoisted the American flag with American national anthem, followed by Indian flag and national anthem. All participants showed their immense respect for their motherland and the country they adopted to make a living.

Minnesota is known for its cold winter, so everyone is outside to enjoy the summer to its fullest. And Independence day coincided with the best weather day this summer.

Here is the link for coverage of this event in local media. 

Happy Independence Day 2014

1. Mars Mission should inpire us to create more. We should use this mission learnings and invent things to better our on-earth life – better toilet systems,  construction, better hinges , clothing, efficiencies from following a protocol. Like this list - NASA Technologies Benefit Our Lives
2. Dedicated Parks & Recreation department - to improve existing parks and convert existing wastelands or undeveloped areas to more parks. So families can go for picnic. Kids can play every evening.
Everyone can indulge in their health by runner, jogging, biking, soccer, in different park every evening and avoid boredom form killing their healthy pursuits.
Playgrounds for kids to play football/soccer, badminton, track field running
Parks with run trails for everyone to run/jog/walk/bike.
3. Toilet facility - in all areas, remote & populated. More power to Sulabh International.
4. Garbage Chute system to be incorporated across all new high-rises. This will reduce the inefficiencies & indignities of manual aspect of transporting garbage from flat home to outside. 

My I-Day wishes from 2008, 2005 & 2006. I did not realise, I was this behind in blogging my IDay wishlist !

Happy Independence Day !

Happy Independence Day !

I have a whole lot of good wishes for India. Among them:

More & better roads in each & every city & village.

Stricter RTO, so there are better drivers on road.

Honest Traffic police to stop horrible drivers & allow only non polluting vehicles.

All these leading to better safety for children, whether travelling to school in bus, auto or with parents.

Overnight, sonography practisioners should loose their knowledge to identify gender. That way more safety for children before they are born.

A Ministry of Education. Right now the HRD handles education as well. And obviously it is not on a priority for them. Separate ministry may be able to focus on what & how our children study. It can rethink of a lot of simple but important issues, like the heavy bags kids carry, drop-outs, course contents.

A strong voice for children in media and among economic decision makers. Because they do not have a say in these areas, children issues are often the most ignored ones.

Some new variant of agriculture economy so farmers wont face any loss. Maybe professional & lucrutive courses related to agriculture in economics, hoticulture & more. Maybe a whole new economic system which makes agriculture more profitable for the people who grow our grain.

More water harvesting and less electricity & fuel usage.

New India may turn 61 today, but we have a lot to do for our children.

My I-Day wishes from 2005 & 2006.

Now to pep up the mood, I present my I-Day Playlist:

Vande Mataram - Maa Tujhe Salaam - A.R.Rahman

Mile Sur Mera tumhara

Vande Mataram - K3G

Yeh jo des hain tera - Swades

Chak De

Apni Azadi Ko Hum - Mohammad Rafi

Hum layen hai toofaan se Rafi in Jagriti

Phir Bhi Dil Hai Hindustani

Sarfarosh

Yuhooooo ! Finally a Gold !

Yuhooooo ! Finally a Gold !
Congrats Abhinav Bindra !!!



A perfect Independence Day gift !

Happy Independence Day !

One of the things, from my last year's list have come true. And rest seem to be on the way.

For this year, I can only add more:

Better security intelligence framework to take pre-emptive actions,

No more floods or farmer suicide,

More road creation - all over India,

along with stricter RTO - for driving license and pollution certificates,

Continue the success rate and good quality in Indian cinema & music industry,

And more strength to RTI ! It's really bringing in positive results everywhere.

Happy Independence Day !

Happy Independence Day !



Here is my list of good wishes for India

better weather (proper monsoon, summer and winter in just the right amount)

more growth in economy

better infrastructure in rural and urban areas

balanced gender population ratio

better output from Indian writers

continue the success rate and good quality in Indian cinema & music industry

And increased sensibility among Indian voters - for next time.