New Delhi, DeshGujarat: Genabhai Dargabhai Patel who is known as Anar Dada is going to get Padmashri award this year. Genabhai is divyang farmer from Sarkari Golia village of Banaskantha district in North Gujarat. He transformed drought-hit Banaskantha district of North Gujarat into major pomegranate producer.

Subroto Das, a doctor who runs Lifeline Foundation in Ahmedabad to rescue the people on highway – specifically on Ahmedabad – Vadodara highway is also going to be awarded Padmashri. Das’s teams reach accident spots in less than 40 minutes. His initiative has saved 1,200 plus accident victims so far.

Patel, Das and others are among some common men who have done extra ordinary service for society and therefore they are chosen for Padma awards this year. The present government has applied different approach compared to past practice of selecting persons for Padma awards just based on recommendations of politicians and others. The government has done research and selected unsung heroes who have contributed to make life of others better for Padmashri award.

 

 

Became speechless with joy after hearing the news:Padma Shri selectee Genabhai

Deesa (Gujarat):   This year’s Padma Shri selectee Genabhai Patel, a 52 year Divyang farmer from Banaskantha district in Gujarat, today said that he was so overwhelmed with joy on getting a phone call from Delhi informing him that his name has been included in Padma Awardees list, that he virtually became speechless for a few minutes.

Genabhai, popularly known as ‘Anar Dada’ in and around his village Sarkari Golia under Deesa Taluka for his laudable contribution to pomegranate cultivation, had also got a mention in Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s speech in Bansakantha recently.

‘When I got a call from Delhi early morning about it (getting selected for Padma Shri), I could not speak a word for a while, Even when my brother asked me about the call I could not utter a word for sometime. I was so very happy that I became speechless with joy for sometime. I could share the news with my brother only after a few minutes,’ the farmer, whose successful experiment with pomegranate cultivation since 2005 had got him wide recognition earlier and now fetched the coveted Padma award, said.

Genabhai reportedly took to horticulture after being inspired with a speech of the then Chief Minister Narendra Modi in his home district. Despite being handicapped with both legs he successfully experimented with pomegranate cultivation in an area notorious for scanty availability of water and rain. He used scientific techniques and even CCTV’s for it.

DeshGujarat