Chandigarh, Jan 25 (PTI) An octogenarian retired Punjab Police officer, who follows a unique daily routine for his social work defying his age, has been chosen for the prestigious Padma Shri award for social service.
Chandigarh resident Inderjit Singh Sidhu has made it to the list of Padma Shri awardees, the Centre announced on the eve of Republic Day.
Besides Sidhu, women cricketer Harmanpreet Kaur and Baldev Singh (sports), Niranjan Dass (spiritualism) from Punjab, along with Khem Raj Sundriyal (art) and Indian women’s hockey goalkeeper Savita Punia (sports) from Haryana, have also been chosen for the prestigious award.
Sidhu retired as the deputy inspector general (DIG) in 1996 from the Punjab Police, after joining the force in 1963.
He has been living in Chandigarh after his retirement.
Sidhu earned the recognition for his cleanliness drive in his Chandigarh neighbourhood. His work came under the spotlight last year.
The former IPS officer had been following a unique daily routine that involved picking up the garbage he came across on the roadside and disposing of it.
Each morning, he would set off on his ‘mission’, hunting for even small pieces of trash in his locality on the roadside or sometimes in parks. He would go for another round in the evening.
In the past, he borrowed a cycle cart from sanitary workers several times when it was lying unused. Sidhu would then pick up the trash — from empty chip packets and fallen tree branches to plastic water bottles — and fill the cart with it.
He then disposed of the collected trash at designated spots and big dustbins installed on the roadside.
Last year, Sidhu said he had been following this routine for the past few years. He then recalled that initially, some people thought he was “mad” as he went around picking up garbage.
“I like it when things around me are clean. And I have always believed that cleanliness has to come from within, only then will everyone act responsibly and not throw litter on roads,” Sidhu, who was a superintendent of police (SP) in 1986, during the peak days of terrorism in Punjab, earlier said.
“We should not throw litter on the roadside. When I used to go out for a walk, I would see it and feel bad,” he had said.
Chandigarh Mayor Harpreet Kaur Babla hailed the Union government’s decision to honour Sidhu.
“It is wonderful news. I think it is a great honour for the people of Chandigarh,” she said.
“Words cannot describe the kind of work he has been doing at such age. He did so much for society,” Babla said on Sunday.
Last year, Sidhu’s work drew widespread praise, with Mahindra Group chairman Anand Mahindra saluting the “quiet warrior of the streets”.
Meanwhile, Punjab BJP working president Ashwani Sharma welcomed the decision to confer the Padma Shri award on Niranjan Dass, who is the chief of the Dera Sachkhand Ballan in Jalandhar.
“Sant Niranjan Dass ji has played a remarkable role in spreading the thoughts and message of Sant Guru Ravidas Ji Maharaj, not only across the country but also internationally,” Sharma said in a statement.
He dedicated his entire life to strengthening the values of social harmony, service, equality and humanity, Sharma said.
The award is a matter of pride and honour not only for the Ravidassia community but for the entire nation, the BJP leader said.
Thanking Prime Minister Narendra Modi, Sharma said the central government is committed to honouring the contributions of every section, community and region, and this decision “reflects that very vision”.
Meanwhile, Khem Raj Sundriyal from Haryana, who teaches the Jamdani weaving technique to thousands of artisans, has also been chosen for the award.
Sundriyal told PTI over the phone, “It’s a great honour. I thank the government, which gives so much encouragement to the artisans.” Born in a small Uttarakhand village to a farmer, Sundriyal is now settled in Haryana’s Panipat.
In his childhood, after finishing his farming chores, he would attend classes for handloom technology at the Government Industrial Training Institute in the Srinagar Tehsil of Garhwal.
His passion for tapestry and weaving helped him obtain a diploma. In 1965, he started working as an apprentice in the Delhi Cloth Mill.
He also helped the Ministry of Textiles in the year 1980 to introduce polyester yarn in handloom by a technique called automatic take-up motion, which required less labour from weavers and led to cost-effective production of goods.
Khem Raj has trained thousands of unskilled weavers from various regions of Haryana, Himachal Pradesh, Punjab and Jammu and Kashmir.
He retired from his government job 20 years ago and started a small co-operative society in Haryana’s Panipat, which became a source of livelihood for several weavers. PTI SUN CHS PRK PRK
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