SHILLONG/NEW DELHI:
On the Eve of Republic Day, the Government of India conferred the prestigious Padma Shri Award to revered educationist Badaplin War for her invaluable contribution in the field of literature and education.
War, who joined the Khasi language department of North-Eastern Hill University (NEHU) as a lecturer in 1983, was elevated to the post of a professor in 2001. Badaplin also taught Linguistic Anthropology in NEHU for two years beginning 1994.
The PhD (Linguistics) from University of London, United Kingdom, was also associated with the Central Institute of English and Foreign Languages (CIEFL) Shillong Regional Centre, where she taught Transformational Grammar and Language Policy in India in 1995 and 2003. Her areas of interest lies in Khasi Morphology, Phonology, Sociolinguistics, Literature in translation, Khasi Literature and Khasi Culture.
Alongside War, the Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA) conferred the fourth-highest civilian award in the country to nine other personalities from the Northeast namely Shakuntala Choudhary and Dhaneswar Engti from Assam, T Senka Ao from Nagaland, Khandu Wangchuk Bhutia from Sikkim, Lourembam Bino Devi from Manipur, Muktamani Devi from Manipur, V L Nghaka from Mizoram, Guru Tulku Rinpoche from Arunachal Pradesh, and Konsam Ibomcha Singh from Manipur.
While Choudhary was given the award for her contribution towards social work, Engti was given the same for his contribution in the field of Literature and Education.
Similarly, Ao from Nagaland and Nghaka from Mizoram were also conferred with the award for their contributions in the field of Literature and Education.
Likewise, Bhutia and Lourembam were given the award for their contribution in the field of Art. As a recognition her contributions in the field of trade and industry, the Padma Shri was awarded to Muktamani.
Guru Tulku Rinpoche from Arunachal Pradesh was conferred the award in the field of spiritualism, and Konsam was recognised in the field of art.
The Padma Award recognises exceptional individuals for their contributions in various disciplines such as art, social work, public affairs, science and engineering, trade and industry, medicine, literature and education, sports, civil service, etc.
This year the President has approved conferment of 128 Padma Awards including two duo case (in a duo case, the Award is counted as one).
The list comprises 4 Padma Vibhushan, 17 Padma Bhushan and 107 Padma Shri Awards.
Significantly, 34 of the awardees are women and the list also includes 10 foreigners, NRI, PIO, OCI and 13 posthumous awardees.
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