LUDHIANA, Jan 27: Onkar Singh Pahwa, the managing director of Avon Cycles, expressed his gratitude to the government on Monday for selecting him as the recipient of the prestigious Padma Shri award.
Pahwa received the Padma Shri award for the year 2025.
He mentioned that the honor is not just for him personally, but is a recognition for the entire bicycle industry as a whole.
The government announced the highest civilian honors of the country on Saturday, which include seven Padma Vibhushan, 19 Padma Bhushan, and 113 Padma Shri awards.
These awards are typically presented by the President during a formal event at Rashtrapati Bhavan, usually taking place around March or April each year.
In a conversation with reporters on Monday, Pahwa shared that he received a notification late Saturday night from a colleague regarding his Padma Shri award.
He extended his thanks to the government for selecting him for this esteemed accolade.
As one of the leading brands in the bicycle sector, Avon Cycles boasts a vast nationwide network of over 2,000 dealers and exports its products to 23 countries globally.
Pahwa revealed that his company enjoys an estimated annual turnover of Rs 1,150 crore and ranks as one of the two largest bicycle manufacturers in India.
In response to a question, Pahwa, who also serves as the President of the All India Cycle Manufacturers Association, affirmed that the future of the bicycle industry is looking promising.
“Our products match the quality of any other brand,” he stated. (PTI)
