Libia Lobo Sardesai, a prominent freedom fighter from Goa, co-founded the underground radio station Voz da Liberdade (Voice of Freedom) in 1955, rallying against Portuguese rule. Her efforts in Goa’s freedom movement have earned her a place among the Padma Shri awardees.Another recipient, Gokul Chandra Dey, a 57-year-old dhak player from West Bengal, has been awarded the Padma Shri for breaking gender barriers in a male-dominated field. Dey trained 150 women in playing the traditional instrument, dhak, empowering them to popularise the art form.In the list of honour is Harvinder Singh, a para archer from Haryana, who became the first Indian to win a gold medal at the 2024 Paralympic Games. Singh expressed his gratitude, calling his recognition a moment of immense pride.“With deep gratitude and honour, I accept the gracious invitation to the at-home reception at the Rashtrapati Bhavan on January 26. It is an occasion of immense pride and privilege to be in the presence of the esteemed President of India, a symbol of our nation’s unity and strength,” Harvinder Singh said in an Instagram post.Other notable awardees include Nagaland’s fruit farmer L Hangthing, Puducherry’s instrumentalist P Datchanamoorthy, Madhya Pradesh’s social entrepreneur Sally Holkar, and Marathi author Maruti Bhujangrao Chitampalli, all of whom have made significant contributions in their respective fields.
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