Guwahati, Jan 26: Assam’s former three-time Chief Minister and a true Gandhian Congress leader Tarun Gogoi, who died of COVID-19 comorbid ailments last November 23 has been conferred with Padma Bhushan, a list released by Union Home Ministry last Monday, a day before Republic Day mentioned.
The Padma Awards are the highest civilian awards in the country and comprise of three categories based on the scale of the awardee’s achievement – the highest being Padma Vibhushan, followed by Padma Bhushan, and lastly, Padma Shri.
Gogoi, one of the tallest leaders of Assam had an elaborate political career during which he was inducted to the National youth Congress by former Prime Minister Indira Gandhi and he served an elaborate stint as Union Minister under her son Rajiv Gandhi’s cabinet and then returned back to Assam in 2001 to be the state’s Chief Minister till 2016.
Gogoi was among nine others who were conferred with the honour along with former Union Minister Ram Vilas Paswan who died last October 8 and former Gujarat Chief Minister Kedhubhai Patel who died last October 29.
According to the list released by MHA, seven dignitaries including former Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe, and the musical Maestro S.P. Balasubramaniam who died last September 25, will be conferred with Padma Vibhushan.
102 dignitaries are being conferred with Padma Shri award that includes eight from Assam alone, two from Manipur and one each from the rest northeast states barring Nagaland and Sikkim.
From Assam, the award will be conferred to Lakhimi Baruah for his works in the fields of social works, Gopiram Borgayn Burabhakat and Dulal Manki for arts, Bijoya Chakravarty for public affairs, Mangal Singh Hazowary, Roman Sarmah and Imran Shah for literature and education and Birubala Rabha for social works.
Manipur’s Rawben Mashangva and Radhe Devi for arts, Tripura’s Satyaram Reang for arts, Meghalaya’s Nanandro B Marak for agriculture, Arunachal Pradesh’s Anshu Jamsenpa for sports and Mizoram’s Sangkhummi Bualchhouk for social works will be conferred with Padma Shri from northeast.
The President of India, Ramnath Kovind will on Tuesday give away the awards in the President’s Residence on Tuesday.
