The Union Government announced on January 25 the much-awaited “Padma Award” or the “People’s Award” for the year 2024. According to the details available, 132 eminent people from different backgrounds and streams have been chosen by the government to receive the prestigious civilian awards this year.
Making to the list from the tribal-dominated Chhattisgarh are Jageshwar Yadav, Hemchand Manjhi, and Pandit Ramlal Bareth who will be conferred upon the prestigious “Padmashree Award,” the fourth highest civilian award of Bharat.
Taking to the X, the State’s Chief Minister (CM), Vishnu Deo Sai also extended his wishes to all the awardees from the State. In a tweet, the CM, while expressing his delight over the development, congratulated all the selected awardees for the prestigious award.
The selection of Jogeshwar Yadav, a social worker from Jashpur who made a resolve to serve the Pahadi Korva (A protected tribal group) people of the Sarguja region and dedicated his life to it along with Vaidyaraj Hemchand Manjhi of Narayanpur, is a matter of intense pride and honour for Chhattisgarh.
जशपुर के जनजातीय कल्याण के लिए समर्पित जशपुर के सामाजिक कार्यकर्ता श्री जगेश्वर यादव जी, जिन्होंने नंगे पैर रहने का संकल्प लेकर सरगुजा अंचल के साथ रायगढ़ बिरहोर पहाड़ी कोरवा जनजाति के उत्थान के लिए अपना जीवन समर्पित किया एवं नारायणपुर के वैद्यराज श्री हेमचंद मांझी जी को #पद्मश्री… pic.twitter.com/q6ASusAGJk
— Vishnu Deo Sai (@vishnudsai) January 25, 2024
The CM, in a separate tweet, also extended his wishes to Pandit Ramlal Bareth. “I feel extremely happy after receiving information about the selection of eminent artist of Kathak and winner of the Academy Awards Pandit Ramlal Bareth, for the Padmashree award. The whole Chhattisgarh is proud of your award, said the CM.
The Chief Minister also dialled Jogeshwar Yadav ji, congratulated him for achieving these exceptional feats, and requested that he continue his work for the upliftment of the Pahadi Korva tribes.
The awardees
A resident of Bhitarghara village in Jashpur, a district from which the Chief Minister himself comes, Jogeshwar Yadav (67) alias Birhor Ke Bhai, has been tirelessly working for the upliftment of the Pahadi Korva and Birhor tribes for decades.
Yadav has established an ashram in Jashpur with the aim of eradicating illiteracy and elevating healthcare standards among the Birhor and Pahadi Korva tribes, which reside mainly in the Sarguja region.
The tribal welfare worker has been considered exceptional given the fact that most of the people from Pahadi Korva and Birhor tribes were reluctant to interact with outsiders until recently, and the community was once reported to be even terrified by the marks of shoes.
जशपुर के जनजातीय कल्याण के लिए समर्पित जशपुर के सामाजिक कार्यकर्ता श्री जगेश्वर यादव जी, जिन्होंने नंगे पैर रहने का संकल्प लेकर सरगुजा अंचल के साथ रायगढ़ बिरहोर पहाड़ी कोरवा जनजाति के उत्थान के लिए अपना जीवन समर्पित किया एवं नारायणपुर के वैद्यराज श्री हेमचंद मांझी जी को #पद्मश्री… pic.twitter.com/q6ASusAGJk
— Vishnu Deo Sai (@vishnudsai) January 25, 2024
Jogeshwar Yadav also played a significant role in the vaccination drive during the COVID-19 pandemic by addressing hesitancy about the vaccine. He has also played a vital role in reducing the child mortality rate in the remote regions of Sarguja division of Chhattisgarh.
Vaidraj Hemchand Manjhi
Another social worker who made it to the list of the prestigious award is traditional medical practitioner Vaidraj Hemchand Manjhi from Narayanpur. Hailing from remote terrain of Chotedongarpur, Manjhi has been serving the people of the surrounding area since the age of 15.
Now in his seventies, Hemchand has been serving the people for more than five decades and provides treatment of various life-threatening diseases such as cancer of many forms, blood sugar, and asthma.
In his pursuit to provide suitable and effective medicine in meagre amount, Manjhi also visits the remote terrain of Abujhmaad Forest to get precious herbs on a regular interval. He has also been repeatedly threatened by the Maoists, though despite the threats and personal attacks, Manjhi continues to work for the needy and sick.
Ramlal Bareth
Last but not least is the name of famous Kathak artist Ramlal Bareth, who has been selected for the prestigious honour for his exceptional contribution to the classical form of dance, Kathak.
A resident of Raigarh, Chhattisgarh, Pandit Ramlal Bareth is a prominent name in the field of classical Kathak dancing. He also received prestigious academy awards for his contribution to classical dance in the past.
In all, living up to the standards, the government has once again chosen the people who have contributed immensely to society with a pure heart, either in the field of service or the arts. The selection of the revered personalities for the award reflects the true consciousness of a vibrant democracy.
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