Delhi govt to recommend names of doctors, health workers for Padma awards

The Delhi government will recommend the names of doctors and health workers, who fought against the Covid pandemic, to the Centre for the Padma awards this year, Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal said on Tuesday.

The chief minister asked Delhiites to recommend names of doctors and health workers whose work deserves to be recognised. People can send in their recommendations to padmaawards.delhi@gmail.com by August 15, he said.

Kejriwal said a search and screening committee headed by Deputy Chief Minister Manish Sisodia will take the final call on these recommendations.

“We want the doctors and health workers to be felicitated with the Padma awards this year in recognition of their work and as a gesture of gratitude towards them,” the chief minister said.

Many doctors and health workers contracted COVID-19 and lost their lives while saving people from the virus. The whole country and humanity are indebted to them, he said.

“I know many doctors and health workers who did not go home for days and worked day and night to save our lives. Its time to honour them and show our gratitude towards them,” Kejriwal said.

“The last date to send recommendations to the central government is September 15. People need to send their recommendations to us by August 15, so the screened names could be sent timely to the Centre,” he added.

The Padma Vibhushan, Padma Bhushan and Padma Shri awards are given for distinguished and exceptional achievements and service in different fields and disciplines such as art, literature and education, sports, medicine, social work, science and engineering, public affairs, civil service, trade and industry.

Everyone without any distinction of race, caste, occupation, position or sex are eligible for the awards. However, government servants, including those working with PSUs — except doctors and scientists — are not eligible for the awards.

The nominations are placed before the Padma awards committee, constituted by the prime minister every year. There is no cap on the number of awardees. Also, the states can make any number of recommendations for the awards.

(Except for the headline, this story has not been edited by The Federal staff and is auto-published from a syndicated feed.)