I knew this was going to happen the moment I had announced the Dude of the Week concept. Since the award is not a physical entity but just an abstract token of honour, we must also consider the Padma awards committee for the award this week :
The Padma awards committee seems to have conferred the prestigious Padma Shri award in the field of art and culture to a man who turned out to be an exporter of shawls and not a national craftsman.
The blame game has already begun with senior government officials saying they had never recommended Hashmat Ullah Khan’s name in the first place.
Spokesperson of J&K Academy of Art and Culture Javed Rahl said, “There is no person by that name in the field of art and culture in this state. Also, the J&K Academy of Art, Culture and Languages did not recommend anyone by this name.”
Evidently people in J&K do not need to exist to win the Padma awards; it holds a special place in the Indian Constitution you see.
Of course, this wouldn’t have been of importance if the boxers who won Olympic medals weren’t snubbed for the awards.
Yes, but I completely agree with the award being given to Aishwarya Rai. After all, she did not act in any movie this year.
