Union Petroleum Minister Hardeep Singh Puri on Wednesday, 27 May 2026 shared a deeply personal account of his interaction with Padma Awardees at an event hosted by Union Home Minister Amit Shah to honour recipients of India's highest civilian distinctions, expressing that he came away 'completely moved and overwhelmed.'

Context

Minister Puri opened his post with a classical Sanskrit shloka — 'Paropkaraaya phalanti vrikshaah, paropkaraaya vahanti nadyah' — which translates as: 'Trees give fruits for the benefit of others, rivers flow to nourish others, and cows give milk to feed others. Similarly, our human body is meant for the service of others.' He invoked the verse as the lens through which he interpreted the lives of the awardees he met.

Among those he interacted with, Dr. Ramchandra Godbole and Smt. Sunita Godbole made the deepest impression. The couple, originally from Maharashtra, has spent 37 years living and working in the tribal regions of Bastar and Abujhmad in Chhattisgarh, among the most remote and underserved parts of the country.

Policy Backdrop

Bastar is a district with a predominantly tribal population that has historically faced limited access to public health services, while Abujhmad is a densely forested region inhabited by Particularly Vulnerable Tribal Groups with minimal infrastructure. Dr. Godbole, a practitioner of Ayurveda, and his wife Sunita Ji have provided medical care, health awareness, maternal and child support, and community outreach in these areas over more than three decades.

Since 2014, the selection process for Padma Awards has increasingly prioritised individuals working in rural and tribal areas, moving away from the earlier emphasis on celebrities and urban notables. The Ministry of Ayush has simultaneously promoted the integration of Ayurveda practitioners into public health delivery in tribal districts, making the Godboles' work emblematic of a broader policy direction.

Stakeholders and Impact

Minister Puri noted that the 'exemplary lives and unique experiences' of the awardees were 'evocative, hugely inspiring and, in more ways than one, based on the message of selflessness.' He described feeling the energy when the Godboles recounted their grassroots work — spanning medical care, maternal health, and community outreach among some of India's most vulnerable populations.

Puri also highlighted the evolution of the Padma Awards under Prime Minister Narendra Modi's leadership, describing them as having 'increasingly evolved into People's Awards honouring unsung heroes, grassroots changemakers, and individuals whose contributions profoundly shape lives and impact communities.' The framing positions the awards as a deliberate instrument of recognition for those outside elite networks.

What's Next

The government's focus on tribal welfare in Chhattisgarh is expected to remain a policy priority, with fresh health outreach guidelines for tribal districts anticipated in forthcoming Union Budget allocations and tribal welfare ministry notifications. The public celebration of figures like the Godboles by senior ministers reinforces the signal that grassroots health workers in conflict-affected and remote regions remain central to the administration's social messaging. The Padma Awards 2027 selection cycle, which opens nominations to the public, will be a further test of whether this orientation continues.