As we approach the 78th Independence Day celebration, its an occasion to commemorate the sacrifices and contributions of numerous Indians who got us the freedom. Its also an occasion to recognise the work of several ordinary people who though born in the Independent India, contributed their bit for its progress.
A new book on some of those who have received country’s fourth highest award, Padma Shri, narrates the fascinating stories of several winners in the recent years. Titled, Padma Bharatis: Ordinary Indians, Extraordinary Triumphs, the book curated by Jay Jina highlights the strength and resilience of people who brought sustainable change while honouring their cultural traditions and experiential knowledge passed down through generations.
Take for example, the story of ‘Beej Mata’ (the seed mother) of India, Rahibai Popere, who belongs to a village in Ahmednangar district of Maharashtra. Affected by the ill health of a family member, she resolved to find a solution, even though she never received formal education. She realised the shift to natural farming bereft of pesticides and fertilisers could do the trick. And it did. She pioneered the preservation of native varieties and even motivated self help groups to adopt them. Former Director General of the Council of Scientific and Industrial Research Dr Raghunath Mashelkar, gave her the honorific name Beej Mata, the mother of seeds.
The book published by Blueone Ink has 12 essays on the lives and work of dozen people who received Padma Shri in the last a few years.
Subhasini Mistry is a social worker who set up Humanity Hospital to provide health care to the poor. Her hospital had even featured in Aamir Khan’s popular TV show ‘Satyamev Jayate’. Her son, Dr Ajoy Mistry, who got his MD degree in general medicine from Kolkata Medical College in 1997, is now the Chairman of the Humanity Hospital. THE WEEK had covered Dr Ajoy Mistry’s work during the Covid pandemic.
It was then he had told THE WEEK, “My mother’s hard work has always been my strength. But the hospital was the result of my relentless struggle, through torture and insult. I have felt poverty and humiliation. It prompted me to try and make a difference in society.” He asked his mother to stop selling vegetables due to her advance age.
In 2017, Meenakshi Amma, a living legend of Kalari, received the Padma Shri award. This was also, perhaps, first time that a martial art form had been recognised in such a manner. Another essay tells the story of Sukri Bommanagowda, a folk singer belonging to the Halakki Vokkaliga tribe in Ankola, Karnataka.
Another essay is on Tulsi Gowda who is only the second person from the Halakki Vokkalu to get Padma Shri for her work to save environment. She is known as the "Encyclopedia of the Forest" and by her tribe as the "tree goddess" because of her knowledge of the forest. When both had come to receive the award dressed in their traditional dress, they had attracted a lot of attention.
Among other profiles, K.K. Muhammad stands out. He is a known name in the field of history and archaeology. He is credited with undertaking some of the most significant excavations and restorations projects in the country. An essay on him encapsulates his journey from Agra to Chennai, Goa, Raipur and Bhopal and eventually to the ruins of Bateshwar, before retiring from his role as Regional Director at the New Delhi ASI office in 2012. In Fatehpur Sikri, he excavated a site from 1981 to 1983 to reveal Ibadat Khana from the days of Akbar. Also called KK, he would also go on to discover the location of the first Christian chapel in North India.
“The Christian fathers invited by Akbar for the conferences at the Ibadat Khana were housed near the palace and a chapel was built. KK pinpointed a potential location, and the chapel was fully excavated. The Archbishop of Agra confirmed this to be consistent with historical records,” the book records.
In Goa, his work had subsequently led to the recovery of the remains of Queen Ketavan, the patron saint of Georgia, which had been carried to Goa. His restoration of Bateshwar, Madhya Pradesh is hailed in the archaeological circles.
The book will interest students, scholars, activists and will be a good addition to the libraries for reference for the next generations of readers.
