Sikar (Rajasthan) [India], January 26 (ANI): The Head Priest of Shri Shraddhanath Ashram, Baijnath Maharaj expressed heartfelt gratitude to his followers and disciples after being conferred the prestigious Padma Shri award.
Baijnath Maharaj said, “It is with everyone’s blessings and faith that I got this honour. I am just a small man who got this huge respect and it is a matter of pride for me. I bless all my followers and disciples and thank everyone.”
Baijnath Maharaj, born in 1935 in Panlava, Rajasthan became a disciple of Shri Shraddhanath Maharaj at the age of six. He travelled with his guru across various pilgrimage sites and dedicated much of his life to education and spiritual guidance. From 1960 to 1985, Baijnath Maharaj served as the Principal at Gram Bharti Vidyapeeth Kothari, promoting education in rural areas. In 1985, Shri Shraddhanath ji Maharaj officially declared Baijnath Maharaj as his successor.
The Centre announced the list of recipients for the prestigious Padma Awards on Saturday, with President Droupadi Murmu’s approval for 139 honorees.
The list includes 7 Padma Vibhushan, 19 Padma Bhushan, and 113 Padma Shri awards.
Among the awardees are 23 women, and the list features 10 distinguished individuals from the Foreigners, NRI, PIO, and OCI categories, as well as 13 posthumous awardees. The recognition spans a wide array of fields, honouring exceptional contributions to the nation’s progress and global standing.
Notable awardees include Harvinder Singh, a para-archer from Kaithal, Haryana, who became the first Indian to win gold at the 2024 Paralympic Games. He was awarded the Padma Shri.
The Padma Shri list also features cervical cancer specialist Neerja Bhatla and Kuwaiti yoga enthusiast Shaikha AJ Al Sabah.
The late folk singer Sharda Sinha, former CEO of Suzuki Motor, and late Osamu Suzuki will be awarded the Padma Vibhushan.
The Padma Bhushan awardees include Chairman of the Prime Minister’s Economic Advisory Council and economist Bibek Debroy, former Maharashtra Chief Minister Manohar Joshi, singer Pankaj Udhas, and former Bihar Deputy CM Sushil Kumar Modi (Posthumous).
Other Padma Bhushan awardees include former Indian hockey player PR Sreejesh, Sadhvi Ritambhara, actor S Ajith Kumar, and film director Shekhar Kapur.
Singer Arijit Singh, veteran actor Ashok Saraf, Hindustani classical vocalist Ashwini Bhide-Deshpande, singer Jaspinder Narula, founder of Vishva Vidya Gurukulam in Brazil Jonas Masetti, and President of Bihar Religious Board and Secretary of Mahavir Mandir Trust Kishore Kunal (Posthumous) are also among those honoured with the Padma Shri.
Additionally, cricketer R Ashwin, Grammy-winning musician Ricky Kej, and American author and researcher Stephen Knapp, known for his writing on Vedic culture and spirituality, will be awarded the Padma Shri.
The Padma Awards are one of the highest civilian awards in India and are conferred in three categories: Padma Vibhushan, Padma Bhushan, and Padma Shri. (ANI)
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