SHIMLA: The Centre’s decision to confer Padma awards on 131 achievers this year has sparked a sharp political and moral debate, with serious questions being raised over the selection of jailed Jharkhand leader Shibu Soren while Himachal Pradesh’s tallest political figures—state founder Dr Y.S. Parmar, six-time Chief Minister Virbhadra Singh and former Union Minister Shanta Kumar—remain conspicuously absent.
Civil society groups, NGOs and senior political observers have described the omission as “deeply troubling”, arguing that leaders who laid the very foundations of modern Himachal Pradesh and served the nation with integrity deserved national recognition long ago.
Several NGOs and civil society representatives, speaking to The Hinbu Mail, said the onus also lies with successive state governments for failing to strongly pursue and forward recommendations for these names to the Padma Awards Committee.
“These were towering figures who shaped Himachal’s destiny. Their continued exclusion reflects institutional apathy rather than lack of merit,” they said.
Dr Y.S. Parmar: Architect of Himachal
Dr Y.S. Parmar, Himachal Pradesh’s founder Chief Minister, ruled the hill state for years after 1971 and is widely credited with transforming a remote Himalayan region into a viable, self-sustaining state.
He led Praja Mandal movement that led to formation of Himachal. He laid the foundations of horticulture, tourism and road connectivity, while simultaneously safeguarding the state’s fragile ecology.
His landmark Himachal Pradesh Land Ceiling Act protected local land ownership and later became instrumental in promoting homestay tourism, horticulture, agriculture and vegetable cultivation across the state.
Experts say Parmar’s long-term vision ensured development without ecological devastation and preventing land sharks from gobbling up scarce Himachal’s resources.
Virbhadra Singh: Education, Environment and Governance
Six-time Chief Minister Virbhadra Singh further strengthened Himachal’s social and human capital. Under his leadership, literacy levels rose to near-universal levels, backed by sustained investments in education and human resource development.
Virbhadra Singh is also remembered for his uncompromising environmental stance—banning green felling, cracking down on the forest mafia and ensuring long-term ecological security.
Environmental experts argue that Himachal’s forests continue to provide critical eco-services not only to the state but to northern India as a whole, largely due to policies initiated during his tenure.
Shanta Kumar: Governance at State and National Levels
Shanta Kumar, another glaring omission, played a pivotal role in strengthening Himachal’s hydropower sector in the central and private domain and expanding rural connectivity through initiatives such as the Pradhan Mantri Gram Sadak Yojana and Jal Shakti schemes.
As Union Consumer Affairs Minister, he launched Antyodya Scheme that played a pivotal role in bringing the poorest to the mainstream. He was given the epithet of Antyodya Purush by his admirers across the country.
He managed severe food crises at the Centre, ensured equitable distribution of essential commodities and cracked down on black-marketeers during shortages of sugar, onions and other essentials.
His administrative record, experts say, stands out for integrity, crisis management and decisive governance. He and Prof PK Dhumal, the two times CM, Pani Wala CM, were not made even Governor by the Modi government.
Political Timing of Padma Awards?
Political analysts are also questioning the broader pattern of Padma awards this year.
According to several experts, a disproportionately high number of awards have gone to individuals from poll-bound states such as Kerala, Assam and Tamil Nadu.
Veteran journalist Prabhu Chawla, in a video now viral on social media, has openly questioned the evolving political optics of the Padma Awards under the Modi government.
Analysts suspect the honours are increasingly being used to set political narratives and attract voter attention ahead of elections.
“Recognition should rise above politics,” a senior commentator observed. “When founding figures like Dr Parmar or nationally respected leaders like Virbhadra Singh and Shanta Kumar are overlooked, while controversial selections are made, doubts about intent are inevitable.”
For now, the silence from both the Centre and the Himachal Pradesh government remains conspicuous—while the debate over merit, legacy and political timing continues to grow louder.
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