The Padma awards for civilians were announced by the Government of India on Republic Day. Of the 129 awardees this year, there are three Parsis who feature in the list: Homai Vyarawalla, India’s first woman photojournalist (Padma Vibhushan), the late Dr Keki Grant of Ruby Hall Clinic, Poona (Padma Bhushan) and puppeteer Dadi Pudumjee (Padma Shri).
While the community fights over inter-marriage and housing, let us stand up and applaud these three Parsi stalwarts who have brought glory to our small community through their achievements which have been officially recognized by the Government of India.
While the Padma Vibhushan (the highest category in the Padma awards) was awarded to 13 persons for "exceptional and distinguished service,” the Padma Bhushan went to 31 individuals for "distinguished service of a high order” and the Padma Shri was awarded to 85 for "distinguished service in any field.”
This year a Parsi Zoroastrian featured in each of the three categories — perhaps a unique achievement for our community in the annals of the awards. Allow me to put the magnitude of honor and achievement of these awards in perspective: three Parsis out of 129 awardees out of a population of 1.2 billion Indians — breathtaking and mind-boggling! Let’s wish for greater laurels for our community in future and hope that a Parsi is awarded a Bharat Ratna (the country’s highest civilian award) soon.
KAYOMARZ PATEL
kayomarzpatel@yahoo.co.in