Padma Awards Distribution: 70-year-old social worker Heerbai Ibrahim Loby was on Wednesday honored with the Padma Shri award by President Draupadi Murmu for her contribution to the upliftment of the lives of the tribal community.
Known for social reform and initiatives to empower women in the Siddi tribal community in Gujarat, Loby won hearts with her gesture at the award distribution ceremony held at Rashtrapati Bhavan in New Delhi.
In a video, she was seen stopping while going to receive the award. The lobby briefly stopped near the first row, where Prime Minister Narendra Modi, Home Minister Amit Shah, Lok Sabha Speaker Om Birla and several Union ministers were seated. Speaking bravely in between, she praised PM Modi for his noble cause for the tribals. In a rare expression of blessings, she spread her dupatta expressing her affection and gratitude towards PM Modi.
He was heard saying, “Mere pyare Narendra bhai aapne meri jholi khushiyon se bhar di” (My dear brother Narendra, you filled my bag with happiness). The hall erupted in applause for his emotional gesture.
Hard work is important: Lobi
“…work hard and you will reap…Narendra Modi and Raj Bhavan gave me wealth…” he said after receiving the award.
While she was speaking, PM Modi listened to her with folded hands and expressed his respect for the elderly woman.
blessed the president
In another incident, he expressed his love and blessings for the President by placing both his hands on Murmu’s shoulders to give his blessings. Loby expressed her special affection for the President as she is the first woman President of India from the Murmu tribal community.
Padma Awards 2023
For the year 2023, President Draupadi Murmu had approved the conferment of 106 Padma Awards, including 3 doubles cases (in a doubles case, the award is counted as one). The list includes 6 Padma Vibhushan, 9 Padma Bhushan and 91 Padma Shri awardees. Nine of the awardees are women and seven are posthumous awardees.
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Padma Awards – One of the highest civilian awards of the country are conferred in three categories namely Padma Vibhushan, Padma Bhushan and Padma Shri. The awards are given in various disciplines and fields of activities such as social work, public affairs, science and engineering, trade and industry, medicine, literature and education, sports and civil service. ‘Padma Vibhushan’ is awarded for exceptional and distinguished service; ‘Padma Bhushan’ for distinguished service of high order and ‘Padma Shri’ for distinguished service in any field. The awards are announced every year on the occasion of Republic Day. The awards are presented by the President of India at formal functions usually held at Rashtrapati Bhavan around March or April every year.