Avon Cycles MD Pahwa thanks govt for Padma Shri award

Ludhiana, Jan 27 (PTI) Onkar Singh Pahwa, the managing director of Avon Cycles, on Monday thanked the government for selecting him for the prestigious Padma Shri award.
     Pahwa was conferred with the Padma Shri award for the year 2025.
     It is not him, but the government honoured the entire bicycle industry, he said on getting the award.
     The highest civilian honours of the country announced by the government on Saturday include seven Padma Vibhushan, 19 Padma Bhushan and 113 Padma Shri decorations.
     The awards are conferred by the President at a ceremonial function at the Rashtrapati Bhavan, usually around March-April every year.
     Talking to reporters here on Monday, Pahwa said that on Saturday night, he received a call from one of his colleagues that the government has announced Padma Shri award for him.
     He thanked the government for choosing him for the prestigious award.
     One of the prominent brands in the bicycle industry, Avon Cycles has a nationwide network of more than 2,000 dealers and it exports its products to 23 different countries of the world.
     Pahwa said his company has an estimated annual turnover of Rs 1,150 crore and is one of the top two largest bicycle manufacturers in the country.
     Pahwa, who is also the President of All India Cycle Manufacturers Association, in reply to a question said that the future of the bicycles industry is bright.
     "Our products are as good as anybody else's," he said.

(This story has not been edited by THE WEEK and is auto-generated from PTI)