Tarun Gogoi awarded Padma Bhushan posthumously

GUWAHATI: Former Assam chief minister Tarun Gogoi has been named as one of the 10 Padma Bhusan awardees approved by President Ram Nath Kovind on the occasion of Republic Day.

Gogoi has been listed for the posthumous honour along with former Union minister Ram Bilash Paswan and former Gujarat chief minister Keshubhai Patel in the public affairs category.

Gogoi passed away after prolonged illness on November 23, 2020. He was the longest serving chief minister of Assam having been elected thrice from 2001 to 2016. Earlier he was a Union minister.

The Padma awards are the highest civilian awards of the country conferred in three categories -- Padma Vibhushan, Padma Bhushan and Padma Shri. The awards are given in various disciplines/ fields of activities, such as art, social work, public affairs, science and engineering, trade and industry, medicine, literature and education, sports, civil service, etc.

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Padma Bhushan is awarded for distinguished service of high order.

The 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 conferment of 119 Padma awards, including a duo case. The awardees include 29 women and 10 persons from the category of foreigners/NRI/PIO/OCI, 16 posthumous awardees and one transgender.

Former Japan prime minister Shinzo Abe tops the list of awardees as a Padma Vibhushan awardee.

Apart from Gogoi, eight persons from Assam, including former Union minister Bijoya Chakravarty public affairs), have been named as Padma Shri awardees. The others include Lakhimi Baruah (social work), Gopiram Bargayan Burabhakat (art), Mangal Singh Hazowary (literature and education), Dulal Manki (art), Birubala Rabha (social work), Roman Sarmah (literature and education- journalism) and Imran Shah (literature and education).

Arunachal Pradesh Everester Anshu Jamsenpa figured in the list of Padma Shri for her distinguished achievements. The others from the Northeast to be awarded Padma Shri include Sangkhumi Bualchhuak of Mizoram (social work), Nanadro B Marak of Meghalaya (others- agriculture), Rewben Mashangva of Manipur (art) and Satyaram Reang of Tripura (art).