“It’s a huge honour”: Padma Shri awardees Dharmilaal Chunnilal Pandya, Sunita Godbole, Trupti Mukherjee express gratitude before Rashtrapati Bhavan ceremony

Ahead of the Padma awards ceremony to be held at the Rashtrapati Bhavan in the national capital on Monday, several Padma Shri awardees expressed gratitude, pride and disbelief at being recognized with one of the country’s highest civilian honours.On being honored with the Padmashree 2026 in the field of arts, Dharmalal Chunnilal Pandya told ANI, “I am very happy to receive the Padmashree award. The Government of India has appreciated my hard work over so many years. I have no words to express my gratitude. I started working at the age of 25 and even today at the age of 94, I continue to work.”Kantha embroidery artist Trupti Mukherjee also expressed great happiness and said, “… I am happy to be honored with Padma Shri. This award has brought happiness not only to me but also to the people around me.”Ethnomusicologist Dr. Lars-Christian Koch, who is also set to receive the Honorary Padma Shri in the field of arts, said, “It is a great honor to receive this award. I love India deeply. I lived in India for a long time, and I never expected this kind of recognition, so it was a wonderful surprise. My connection with India started with learning Indian music and getting involved in social work in Germany to promote Indian culture. My teacher from West Bengal introduced me to Indian culture, especially Bengali traditions, and it profoundly changed my life and personality.”On the other hand, Dr Sunita Godbole, who was awarded the Padma Shri 2026 in the field of medicine, spoke and described it as “deeply gratifying”.She said, “This award has been given in the field of medicine. Apart from health work, I have also been associated with women’s organizations. I am not just a doctor but a social worker. The work we have done will now be recognized more widely. Dantewada, which was once infamous for Naxalism, will now be known for healthcare, education, employment, environment protection, forest development and forest-based livelihoods. It is extremely satisfying.”Padma Award – one of the highest civilian awards in the country, is awarded in three categories, namely Padma Vibhushan, Padma Bhushan and Padma Shri.Awards are given in various disciplines/fields of activities, such as arts, social work, public affairs, science and engineering, trade and industry, medicine, literature and education, sports, civil services, etc. ‘Padma Vibhushan’ is awarded for exceptional and distinguished service; ‘Padma Bhushan’ for distinguished service of a high order and ‘Padma Shri’ for distinguished service in any field.The Padma Awards 2026 is scheduled to be held on May 25 at Rashtrapati Bhavan, where President Draupadi Murmu will confer the prestigious civilian honor on the recipients.