Gandhinagar, Jan 25 (IANS) On the eve of India’s 77th Republic Day, the Central Government announced the Padma Awards for 2026, honouring citizens whose sustained contributions have strengthened the country’s cultural and social foundations.

This year, Gujarat figures prominently on the national honours list, with five individuals from the state receiving the Padma Shri for their work in folk arts and social service.

Vadodara’s 94-year-old Manbhatt folk storyteller, Dharamiklal Pandya, has been awarded the Padma Shri in the field of music for preserving the centuries-old tradition of narrative storytelling.

Pandya has devoted 73 years to the Manbhatt art form, blending classical music, rhythm and narration to keep the oral tradition alive.

His journey began under difficult circumstances after his father’s death while he was still in school, when storytelling became both a means of livelihood and a lifelong calling.

Over the decades, Pandya’s performances reached audiences across Gujarat through All India Radio and later extended nationally and internationally.

He has presented more than 2,500 storytelling performances in India and abroad, including in the United States, the United Kingdom and Canada.

His acclaimed works include Shri Harivansh Puran, Shri Shiv Mahapuran and Shri Sangeet Shrimad Bhagwat, alongside programmes addressing social themes such as environmental conservation, prohibition and Beti Bachao Beti Padhao.

Speaking exclusively to IANS, Pandya said, “The honour I have received belongs to my guru Shri Premanand, my father Shri Chunnilal, and Gujarati art.”

He also urged that traditional folk arts be introduced into school curricula, stating that language, culture and music are inseparable and need structured support to survive changing times.

From Junagadh, veteran dholak (folk drum) player Hajibhai Mir, popularly known as Haji Ramkadu, has also been named a Padma Shri awardee.

With over six decades of performances behind him, the 80-year-old folk artist has taken the rhythmic traditions of Gujarat to national and international platforms.

Deeply emotional after the announcement, he told IANS, “This honour belongs to my art, my gurus and the sacred land of Junagadh,” while expressing gratitude to Prime Minister Narendra Modi for recognising folk musicians.

Surat-based social worker Nilesh Mandalewala has been honoured for pioneering the organ donation movement in Gujarat.

A businessman by profession, Mandalewala founded Donate Life after witnessing his father’s long struggle with kidney disease.

Since 2005, his organisation has facilitated the donation of 1,366 organs and tissues, saving the lives of more than 1,200 patients in India and abroad, and earning Surat the informal recognition of being an “Organ Donor City”.

Speaking to IANS, Mandalewala said the Padma recognition reflects a shift in the country’s honour system.

“Under Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s leadership, the awards are reaching real heroes working quietly for society,” he said, describing the recognition as encouragement for volunteers and donor families.

The Padma Shri honours conferred on these five Gujaratis underline the continued national recognition of India’s folk traditions and grassroots social initiatives, bringing long-standing contributions into the public eye.

–IANS

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