The Padma awards for the years 2020 and 2021 which was awarded to the awardees in a ceremony in India. The winner of Padma Shri, Dr Vajira Chitrasena was not able to attend the event and it was handed over to her in a ceremony in Sri Lanka.
The ceremony was held at the Temple Trees on November 17, 2021, in the presence of the Prime Minister of Buddhasasana, Religious & Cultural Affairs, H.E. Mahinda Rajapaksa. The High Commissioner of India in Sri Lanka, Gopal Baglay delivered the ‘Padma Shri’ to Dr Vajira Chitrasena which was conferred upon her by the President of India for the year 2020.
‘Padma Awards Investiture Ceremony’ was held at Rashtrapati Bhawan, New Delhi on November 08, 2021, at which the President of India presented the Padma awards to the awardees for the year 2020 in the presence of the Vice President, the Prime Minister of India and other dignitaries.
Two eminent personalities from Sri Lanka, Dr Vajira Chitrasena and Late Prof Indra Dassanayake were conferred with the ‘Padma Shri’ for their seminal contributions in the field of dance, and literature and Education, respectively.
Dr Vajira Chitrasena is a veteran traditional dancer, choreographer and teacher. For her achievements, she has been adorned with one of Sri Lanka’s highest national awards ‘Deshabandu’, among many others. Dr Vajira’s unique contributions to enriching India-Sri Lanka relations through the promotion of dance and blending the art forms of both countries, especially Kandyan and Odissi have been honoured with the ‘Padma Shri’. Since Dr Vajira Chitrasena could not travel to India to accept the ‘Padma Shri’, the High Commission of India facilitated the handing over of the award at Colombo.
The other recipient of the ‘Padma Shri’ Award, Late Prof. Indra Dassanayake was a renowned Professor of Hindi at Kelaniya University. She had a close association with India as she was born in India and was an alumnus of the University of Lucknow. Her daughter, Ms Vathsala Dassanayake Ishtaweera received the ‘Padma Shri’ at New Delhi from the President of India.
