The year’s list of Padma Vibhushan awardees include the chairman of India’s Atomic Energy Commission, Dr Anil Kakodkar…that’s wonderful!
His bio: “Anil Kakodkar was born in 1943 in Barawani, present day Madhya Pradesh. He had his early education in Khargoan until moving to Bombay for post-matriculation studies. Kakodkar is an eminent nuclear scientist, and is the chairman of the Atomic Energy Commission of India as well as the Secretary to the Government of India, Department of Atomic Energy. Before leading India’s nuclear programme, he was the Director of the Bhabha Atomic Research Centre, Trombay from 1996-2000.
” – source
Also was awarded the same honor, Sundarlal Bahuguna. His bio: “Sundarlal Bahuguna is a noted eco-activist and philosopher in the tradition of Mahatma Gandhi and an environmentalist who has fought for the preservation of forests in the Himalayas as a member of the ‘Chipko’ movement, and later spearheaded the anti-Tehri dam movement through the late 1980s, 90s and early 2004. He has remained behind the anti-Tehri dam protests for decades. He used the Satyagraha methods, and went to long fasts at the banks of Bhagirathi as a mark of his protest.” – source
Not bad, two folks connected to energy & environment getting top awards. Who knows, may be the Indian govt has finally started realizing that these industries matter!
