Three From Assam Likely to Receive Padma Awards This Year

As India prepares to mark its 77th Republic Day on Monday, January 26, a provisional list of Padma Awards recipients has begun circulating, with Assam emerging prominently through the inclusion of three highly respected personalities. The annual civilian honours, among the country’s most prestigious, recognise individuals whose sustained contributions have left a lasting imprint across fields as diverse as culture, science, social welfare, and grassroots development.

According to indications from the provisional list, this year’s selections continue a deliberate emphasis on celebrating individuals who have worked quietly and consistently—often far from public spotlight—to bring about meaningful social, cultural, and economic change. Many of the shortlisted names are associated with long-term engagement in remote and underserved regions, with contributions spanning healthcare, education, livelihood creation, environmental stewardship, sanitation, and the preservation of indigenous knowledge systems and cultural traditions. Several awardees are also believed to come from marginalised communities, reinforcing the honours’ growing focus on inclusive recognition.

The final list of Padma Awards recipients is expected to be officially announced as part of the customary Republic Day honours.

Nuruddin Ahmed: Shaping Assam’s Visual Theatre Language

Among the Assamese names on the provisional list is noted sculptor and theatre artist Nuruddin Ahmed, whose creative legacy has profoundly shaped the visual identity of Assam’s famed mobile theatre tradition. Born on January 17, 1958, in Sathikuchi village of Nalbari district, Ahmed’s artistic journey has been marked by experimentation across multiple disciplines, including sculpture, puppetry, theatre design, and ambience creation.

He received formal training in sculpture at Mumbai’s Sir J.J. College of Arts and later refined his practice at the Garhi studio of the Lalit Kala Akademi, where he explored the integration of modern technology with sculptural art. His artistic education also includes a diploma in puppetry from the Centre for Cultural Resources and Training.

Although he began his career as a puppeteer, Ahmed’s creative curiosity eventually drew him into Assam’s mobile theatre circuit, where he went on to redefine stage aesthetics. Over the past four decades, he has designed sets and immersive visual environments for more than 300 plays, performed across thousands of shows. His work has not only enhanced theatrical storytelling but has also helped establish a distinctive visual grammar for mobile theatre, making him one of its most influential behind-the-scenes contributors.

Pokhila Lekthepi: A Voice That Carried Karbi Music Across Generations

Also featured on the provisional list is Pokhila Lekthepi, an iconic Karbi folk singer whose voice has resonated across the hills of Karbi Anglong for over four decades. Born in Dipor Timung village near Dokmoka in Karbi Anglong district, Lekthepi grew up in a household steeped in music—both her parents, Mukhim Lekthe and Basday Timupi, were avid singers.

Believed to have been born around 1952, she began performing at a young age and first gained widespread recognition after participating in the inaugural Karbi Youth Festival in 1964 at the Diphu Karbi Club. Her performances earned her multiple accolades, and she soon began composing her own songs, giving a contemporary voice to traditional Karbi musical forms.

Her early achievements included winning the prestigious Karbi Kungripi Award in 1976 and again in 1978, a milestone that led to her debut on All India Radio after being noticed by officials from Akashvani Guwahati’s Karbi section. Over the years, Lekthepi has recorded more than 300 songs and accumulated numerous honours, including the Queen of Melody title from Hills Idol in 2011, the Swabhav Shilpi Amulya Kakati Memorial Award in 2009, and the Luit Gaurav Award in 2018. She was also conferred the Shilpi Award and Shilpi Pension by the Assam government in 2023. In 2024, her lifelong dedication to Karbi music was formally acknowledged with the Assam Gaurav Award, the state’s third-highest civilian honour.

Dr Jogesh Deuri: Champion of Assam’s Heritage Silks

The provisional list also includes Dr Jogesh Deuri, a leading authority on Assam’s heritage silks and a pioneering figure in the scientific advancement and global promotion of Eri and Muga silk. Widely regarded as a visionary in the field of sericulture, Dr Deuri has devoted his career to blending traditional knowledge with research-driven innovation.

An alumnus of Gauhati University, he completed his schooling at Koklabari High School before earning a PhD from the University of Science and Technology, Meghalaya. His doctoral research focused on the sericultural practices and untapped potential within the Bodo community of Kokrajhar district, an area that has remained central to his professional work.

Dr Deuri has held several senior positions within the Government of Assam and the Bodoland Territorial Council, including serving as Director of Sericulture for the BTC. In this role, he was instrumental in expanding ericulture, strengthening vanya silk-based livelihoods, and improving income opportunities for rural and indigenous communities. His career spans administration, research and development, project planning, and extensive public outreach. He has also been a regular speaker at major platforms such as the Muga Resham Vigyan Krishi Mela, where he has consistently advocated sustainability-focused solutions for farmers. In recognition of his contributions to agriculture and allied sectors, particularly sericulture, he received the Assam Gaurav Award in 2023.

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