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Padma Honours
for Bhavanites |
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This year’s Presidential Civilian Honours
list had an unprecedented number of awardees belonging to the
Bhavan parivaar. This is surprising because Republic Day
honours were always a matter of political preference rather
than worth. If the latter had been the yardstick, hundreds of
veteran Bhavanites would have adorned the walls of the
national hall of fame. All the same, it is gratifying that
distinguished members of the Bhavan family are catching
glimpses of ruling classes with their own political and
parochial squint.
We present below the Bhavan awardees who figure in the Padma
list. Needless to say they are an adornment to the Bhavan and
whatever they touched they made it glow.
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Padma Shree |
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 Dr. Mathoor
Krishnamurti, Director of Bangalore Kendra of Bhavan and a
dedicated Bhavanite for over 40 years, he was founder Director
of the London Kendra of Bharatiya Vidya Bhavan, which, under
his leadership, has become the cultural hub of the British
capital with distinguished British statesmen actively
associated in the Kendra’s growth and activities. In
Karnataka, he is actively engaged in opening Kendras in
various District Headquarters besides promoting awareness of
scriptural wisdom and spiritual knowledge among the entire
stretch of Karnataka through the medium of TV. The national honour is a fitting recognition of Mathoorji’s services in
this regard.
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 Dr. John Marr, a long time member of the Bhavan’s
London Centre, whose knowledge of Indian history and culture,
is arguably more than that of any Indian scholar. An
Indologist who studied classical and carnatic music and could
give a whole concert. It is hard to imagine a more worthy
ambassador for Indian art and culture in the West.
Bhavan parivaar feels pride that honours of Indian
identity has been bestowed on an Englishman of exemplary
scholarship and culture.
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 Dr. P. Jayaraman:
What Mathoorji was to the London Kendra Dr. Jayaraman was to
the New York Kendra. Indeed, he has been the most acknowledged
and distinguished face of the Bhavan in America for decades.
He ideally fitted into Kulapati Munshi’s dictum that Bhavan’s
work is God’s work. The national honour is just recognition
of Dr. Jayaraman’s services to the large community of
non-resident Indians in America. Bhavan family is proud
of Dr.P.Jayaraman’s acquisition of this national honour.
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Padma Bhushan |
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V. P. Dhananjayan
and Shantha Dhananjayan, the peerless dancing duo of
Kalakshetra who together have spent a lifetime dedicated to
spreading the art of Indian dance not only to the younger
generation of this country but also to the rest of the world.
The Dhananjayans have spawned three generations of talented
dancers. Both are members of the Executive Committee of the
Chennai Kendra of the Bhavan devoted to fine arts.
The Bhavan parivaar extends its heart-felt greetings to
the Dhananjayans. |
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 Lord Hamid, a Peer of
the British Empire, a staunch friend of the Indian community
in England and above all, a senior Trustee of the London
Kendra of the Bharatiya Vidya Bhavan has won national
recognition with the award of Padma Bhushan this year.The
Bhavan family extends its hearty greetings to Lord Hamid.
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 Begum Bilkees Latif, social
worker of Hyderabad and a close associate of Bhavan is the
Chairperson of Bal Bhavan Board and a Founder member of the
Indian National Trust for Art and Culture(INTACH).
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