Srinagar, Jan 26 (KNO): Former chief minister and senior Congress senior leader Ghulam Nabi Azad was conferred with the Padma Bhushan award, while the international martial art coach from Bandipora, Faisal Ali Dar and Vishwamutri Shastri were also named for Padma Shri award by Government of India (GoI) on the occasion of 73rd Republic Day.
The Padma awards- one of the highest civilian awards of the country, are announced on the occasion of Republic Day every year. These awards are conferred by the President of India at ceremonial functions which are held at Rashtrapati Bhawan usually around March/ April every year.
This year, the President has approved the conferment of 128 Padma awards. The list comprises four Padma Vibhushan, 17 Padma Bhushan and 107 Padma Shri awards. Among 128 recipients of the Padma awards, J&K has bagged two Padma Shri awards and one Padma Bhushan award.
While Azad has been selected for Padma Bhushan Award in the category of Public Affairs, Professor Vishwamurti Shastri has been awarded for his distinguished service in the field of literature and education. Faisal Ali Dar has been awarded for his distinguished service in the field of sports and art respectively.
Gulam Nabi Azad
Azad, who was awarded the Padma Bhushan, India's third highest civilian award, in 2022 by the Indian Government in the field of Public Affairs had served as the Leader of Opposition in Rajya Sabha between June 2014 and February 2021, was lauded by the prime minister at the conclusion of his tenure in the Parliament's Upper House.
Azad, before serving as the Leader of Opposition in Rajya Sabha for close to seven years, was the Union Minister for Health and Family Welfare in the second UPA government between 2009 and 2014. The senior congress leader had also served as the seventh chief minister of Jammu and Kashmir between November 2005 and July 2008. Besides he remained Minister in all the Congress led Governments at Centre since 1980.
Prof Vishwamurti Shastri
Prof Vishwamurti Shastri who was awarded Padma Shri award for his distinguished service in the field of literature and education is a renowned Sanskrit scholar, astrologer and Member Board of Directors of Amarnath Shrine Board. He is also the former Principal of Rashtriya Sanskrit Sansthan Jammu and Director of Shri Mata Vaishno Devi Gurukul, Katra. He is also chairman of J&K Dharmarth Trust Advisory Committee.
Prof Shastri has written a number of books in Sanskrit and organized more than hundred non- formal Sanskrit teaching programmes in J&K. He is well known for delivering religious discourse from Shri Mata Vaishno Devi Bhawan, which are telecast live on national TV channels during Navratras.
He successfully completed Shastri in 1965 and Acharya in 1967 from Jammu and Kashmir University. He was awarded a PhD degree by the Rashtrya Sanskrit Sansthan , Deemed University in 1986. He has profound Knowledge of Sanskrit literature with immense know-how of Nyaya, Vedas , Sanskrit Vyakran, Ritual , Chandna and Shastra . He had special acumen in directing and acting in stage plays.
Faisal Ali Dar
Faisal Ali Dar who was awarded Padma Shri award for his distinguished service in the field of Sports and Art is an international martial artist from North Kashmir's Bandipora town.
Faisal, who is also known as Master Faisal in Bandipora town is running a “Ali Sports Academy”, where thousands of students are trained in different martial arts by him so far while he won his first Gold in a state level Taekwondo championship in 2005. He also got his first black belt in Kickboxing in 2008. Later in 2011 and 2013, he bagged Gold and Silver at championships in Iran and India respectively.
Dar while talking to news agency-Kashmir News Observer (KNO) said that without striving hard these prestigious achievements are not achieved.
"I'm highly honoured for getting the Padma Shri award from the Government of India on the occasion of Republic Day 2022," he added.
Faisal also received Dr. B.R. Ambedkar National Award in “Sport and Peace” category for his contribution in “Peace-Building Activities” through sports in Kashmir while his academy's students have so far won awards in many international events.
He is responsible for training 8-year-old world kickboxing champion Tajamul Islam, as well as 7-year-old Asian Karate gold medallist Hashim Mansoor.
Taking to micro-blogging site Twitter, the Lt. Governor of J&K, Manoj Sinha congratulated the awardees.
“Heartiest congratulations to Padma Awardees Ghulam Nabi Azad (Padma Bhushan), Vishwamurti Shastri (Padma Shri) and Faisal Ali Dar (Padma Shri), for their valuable contributions in the field of Public Affairs, Literature & Education and Sports (sic),” he said—(KNO)