Meet Jaswantiben Jamnadas Popat, a Padma Shri recipient and founder of Shri Mahila Griha Udyog Lijjat Papad

Jaswantiben Jamnadas Popat was felicitated by the President for her distinguished work in the Trade and Industry category. Popat is one of the founders of Shri Mahila Griha Udyog Lijjat Papad, a women`s cooperative involved in the manufacturing of various fast-moving consumer goods.

NEW DELHI: President Ram Nath Kovind on Tuesday presented the prestigious Padma Shri award to Jaswantiben Jamnadas Popat, the 90-year-old co-founder of Shri Mahila Griha Udyog Lijjat Papad.

She was felicitated by the President for her distinguished work in the Trade and Industry category. Popat is one of the founders of Shri Mahila Griha Udyog Lijjat Papad, a women’s cooperative involved in the manufacturing of various fast-moving consumer goods.

The President’s office tweeted a picture of Popat receiving the Padma Padma Shri award at the majestic Rashtrapati Bhavan.

President Kovind presented the Padma Awards at the 2021 Civil Investiture Ceremony-I at Rashtrapati Bhavan on Tuesday.

This year's list of Padma Awards includes seven Padma Vibhushan, 10 Padma Bhushan, and 102 Padma Shri Awards, of which 29 awardees are women, 16 posthumous awardees, and one transgender awardee.

The Padma Awards are one of the highest civilian honours of India announced annually on the eve of Republic Day. 

The Awards are given in three categories: Padma Vibhushan (for exceptional and distinguished service), Padma Bhushan (distinguished service of higher-order) and Padma Shri (distinguished service). The award seeks to recognize achievements in all fields of activities or disciplines where an element of public service is involved.

The Padma Awards are conferred on the recommendations made by the Padma Awards Committee, which is constituted by the Prime Minister every year. Among the dignitaries present on the occasion were Vice President N. Venkaiah Naidu, Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Union Home Minister Amit Shah.

This year, President Kovind presented four Padma Vibhushans, including one to archaeologist BB Lal, five Padma Bhushans and 44 Padma Shri on Tuesday. Apart from Lal, Padma Vibhushan awards were presented to cardiologist Belle Monappa Hegde (medicine), Narinder Singh Kapany (posthumous, for science and engineering) and sculptor Sudarshan Sahoo (arts).

The second important award, the Padma Bhushan, was presented to former Lok Sabha Speaker Sumitra Mahajan (public affairs), top bureaucrat Nripendra Mishra (civil service), and posthumously to former Assam Chief Minister Tarun Gogoi (for public affairs), Ram Vilas Paswan (public affairs) and former Gujarat Chief Minister Keshubhai Patel (public affairs).