NEW DELHI, Jan 25: Among the 30 unsung heroes honored with the Padma Shri award this year are a centenarian freedom fighter from Goa, a Dhak player from West Bengal who has empowered 150 women in a traditionally male field, and India’s first woman puppeteer, as per a government announcement released on Saturday.
Libia Lobo Sardesai, a pivotal figure in Goa’s struggle for independence, co-founded an underground radio station named ‘Voz da Liberdabe (Voice of Freedom)’ in a forest in 1955 to inspire resistance against Portuguese colonial rule. She received the Padma Shri from the President in recognition of her contributions, coinciding with the 76th Republic Day celebrations.
Another distinguished recipient is Gokul Chandra Dey, a 57-year-old Dhak player from West Bengal. He challenged gender norms by training 150 women in a predominantly male domain. Dey also innovated a lighter version of the Dhak drum, weighing 1.5 kg less than the traditional model, and has represented India on various international platforms, performing alongside legends like Pandit Ravi Shankar and Ustad Zakir Hussain.
Additionally, 82-year-old Sally Holkar, a staunch advocate for women’s empowerment, has rejuvenated the nearly extinct Maheshwari weaving tradition. She established a Handloom school in Maheshwar, Madhya Pradesh, to provide education in traditional weaving techniques. Influenced by the legacy of Rani Ahilyabai Holkar and having hailing from America, Holkar devoted five decades to reviving this centuries-old craft.
She is also among those honored with the Padma Shri. (PTI)
