Guwahati, Jan 26:In a proud moment for the people of the state, the Padma Awards 2024, one of the highest civilian awards in the country, were announced on the eve of Republic Day. Among the distinguished awardees, three from Assam were chosen for the prestigious Padma Shri awards for the year 2024.
Here are the three Padma Shri awardees from Assam:
Parbati Baruah, also known as ‘Hathi ki Pari’ from Assam’s Dhubri district, is the first 'female mahout' in the country to be a female mahout who began taming the tuskers at the age of 14. Breaking all the gender stereotypes, she dedicated four decades in mitigating human-elephant conflicts. Parbati learned the skills from her father and chose this lifestyle despite coming from a well-off background.
The next pioneer is Sarbeswar Basumatary from Chirang district of Assam, who has been honoured with the Padma Shri in the category of Others (Agriculture). Sarbeswar Basumatary, also known as "Chirang ke Krishi Chiraag," is a farmer whose innovative approach to farming, incorporating various technologies, has not only transformed his own agricultural practices but has also garnered attention at the national level. From being a daily wage labourer to a Padmashri awardee, Sarbeswar turned himself into a successful farmer by taking on a mixed-integrated farming approach. His accolades extend beyond the Padma Shri nomination, as he was previously honoured with the “Assam Gaurav Award” by the state government for the year 2023.
Next on the list is a noted folk artiste from Assam, Drona Bhuyan, who will receive the award in the field of art. Notably, Drona Bhuyan, also received the Bishnu Rabha Award in 2021.
These awards will be conferred by the President of India, Droupadi Murmu, later this year.
