Gujarat has featured prominently in the Padma Shri list on the eve of India’s 77th Republic Day. It’s a reminder, if at all one was needed, that the state is much more than its proud standing as an economic and industrial force that drives the country.
Five individuals whose contribution spans in the fields of social service, folk art, literature, music and theatre were celebrated through the awards.
The work of the awardees is rooted in long-term engagement rather than momentary recognition. And together, they reflect the depth of Gujarat’s cultural and social landscape.
One of the recipients is Nilesh Vinodchandra Mandlewala of Surat — he received the Padma Shri for social work. Besides being closely associated with organ donation awareness in Gujarat, he founded Donate Life Sanstha and is regarded as a pioneer of organised organ donation in the state.
His involvement followed a personal tragedy. His father suffered kidney failure and died in 2011. Mandlewala has said that witnessing the hardships faced by patients and families during dialysis altered the course of his life. He had begun working in the field in 2005. He formalised the initiative by founding Donate Life in 2014.
According to a media report, the organisation has facilitated the donation of 1,366 organs and tissues. These donations reportedly benefited 1,258 patients in India and abroad.
During the Covid-19 pandemic, when donation rates declined nationwide, Surat contributed 203 organs under his guidance. He received the Gujarat Garima Award in 2022.
Junagadh’s representation came through Haji Kasam Mir, known as Haji Ramkadu. He was honoured for his contribution to folk music. The 80-year-old dholak player has performed for more than six decades. He said the recognition fulfilled a lifelong aspiration and expressed gratitude for receiving it during his lifetime.
Haji Ramkadu has performed in over 20,000 programmes. Many were organised for gaushalas. He did not accept remuneration for these performances. His work took Gujarati folk music to the UK, the US, Canada and France. He also performed with artists such as Pranlal Vyas, Diwaliben Bhil and Hemubhai Gadhvi. Junagadh MLA Sanjay Kordia described the honour as a matter of pride for Junagadh and Gujarat.
Vadodara-based Dharmiklal Chunilal Pandya, fondly called Manbhatt, received the Padma Shri in music. He has worked to preserve the 350-year-old Man-Akhyan storytelling tradition.
Pandya told media outlets that the honour belonged not to him alone but to Gujarati literature and its classical poets, including Narsinh Mehta and Premanand.
After his father’s death, Pandya continued the tradition despite early challenges. His sons now carry the legacy forward. He has said he finds reassurance in the continued respect for the art form among audiences.
In literature, Ratilal Borisagar was honoured for his contribution to Gujarati writing. A humorist and essayist, he is known for a restrained and gentle style. His works include Marak Marak, Anandalok and the autobiographical Angiography. These brought him critical recognition and multiple literary awards.
His writing reportedly drew from everyday life. Typical of an artist, it relied on observation rather than sharp satire. This approach secured him a distinct place in modern Gujarati literature.
The fifth recipient is veteran actor Arvind Vaidya. He was selected for his contribution to art. The 84-year-old is widely recognised for his role as ‘Bapuji’ in the television serial Anupama. A lifelong theatre actor, he has said he seeks neither positions nor money and wishes only to continue working in theatre.
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