Recognition: India’s Padma Shri awards conferred on two Sri Lankan women
New Delhi: India’s prestigious Padma awards, presented here on Tuesday, included two Sri Lankan women, recognizing contributions in their respective fields.
Dr Vajira Chitrasena, for her achievements in the field of arts, and Prof. Indra Dassanayake (posthumously), for her contributions in literature and education, respectively, were the two Sri Lankan women honoured with Padma Shri at the ceremony held at Rashtrapati Bhavan.
President of India Ram Nath Kovind presented these awards for the year 2020. Because of the Covid-19 pandemic, the event could not be held earlier.
Vathsala Dassanayake Ishtaweera, daughter of the late Prof. Indra Dassanayake, travelled from Australia to India to receive the award on behalf of her mother from the President in the presence of Vice President M. Venkaiah Naidu and Prime Minister Narendra Modi, among others.
Dr Vajira Chitrasena will receive the award from the High Commission of India in Colombo at a later date.
The Padma awards, according to the Indian High Commission in Colombo, aimed at acknowledging remarkable service or achievement in different professions and disciplines. It is one of India’s highest civilian honours announced annually on Republic Day (January 26).
The contributions of renowned Kandyan dance exponent and teacher Vajira Chitrasena and linguist Prof. Indra Dassanayake, a well-known professor of Hindi at Kelaniya University, are notable. They both contributed significantly to strengthening cultural ties and friendship between the peoples of India and Sri Lanka.
Earlier, India had honoured musician and Magsaysay prize recipient W. D. Amaradeva with a Padma Shri in 2002.
(Venkatesh Iyer)
