Nagpur: Amidst the thunderous applause and respect for them in the air, seven legendary figures were honoured with the prestigious ‘Saptarshi Puraskar’ in Nagpur on Sunday. These icons shared their inspiring life experiences and recounted the dedication and hard work that propelled them to achieve remarkable milestones. They underlined the importance of working diligently and striving for the betterment of the nation.
The distinguished honourees included ‘Bharat Ratna’ Prof C N R Rao (Nagarjuna Award), ‘Padma Vibhushan’ Dr Jayant Naralikar (Acharya Kanad Award), ‘Padma Bhushan’ Dr S L Bhyrappa (Maharshi Valmiki Award), ‘Padma Shri’ Dr S Arunan (Acharya Bharadwaj Award), ‘Padma Shri’ Dr Himmatrao Bawaskar, C B Sompura, and scientist Mohit Joshi.
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Prof C N R Rao, Dr Jayant Naralikar, and C B Sompura could not attend the programme due to health reasons. On their behalf, Prof Dr G U Kulkarni, Adv Anjali Thakur, and Nikhil Sompura accepted the awards respectively, during the glittering ceremony organised by Hindu Research Foundation (HRF) at Kavi Kulguru Kalidas Auditorium in IT Park in Nagpur. Prof HareramTripathi, ViceChancellor of Kavi Kulguru Kalidas Sanskrit University (KKSU), was the chief guest while Dr Bhimaraya Metri, Director of the Indian Institute of Management-Nagpur, presided over the ceremony.
Dr G U Kulkarni received the award on behalf of renowned scientist ‘Bharat Ratna’ Dr C N R Rao. In his message, Dr C N R Rao stated that he is honoured to be conferred with the Nagarjuna Award in recognition of his work in chemical sciences by the HRF. He is unable to attend the function due to health reasons. He wishes to congratulate the HRF for instituting seven awards in the name of our Rishis.
Adv Anjali Thakur received the award on behalf of veteran scientist Dr Jayant Naralikar. She read out Dr Naralikar’s message, “Even though the health is not very supportive, I am always available to guide young scientists in any way possible to help our country develop.” She also shed light on Dr Naralikar’s journey. Prof Tripathi noted that Rishi Kanad’s foundational principles of nuclear science and gravitational theory revealed the depth of ancient wisdom in Indian culture that resonates even today.
“Our cultural treasures may have been lost in time, but they are being revived,” he added. “True happiness comes from knowledge and learning rather than from material wealth”, said Prof Tripathi. He said that Hindu culture was inclusive and capable of absorbing the best attributes from other philosophies. The aim of ancient sages was to create texts that benefited and brought peace to humanity. According to him, Dharma encompasses living a righteous life and achieving wellbeing through ethical means to reinforce moral values in society.
Dr Metri said that each awardee stood as a beacon of excellence across the globe. “They envisioned paths where others saw none, and have achieved what many deemed impossible. Their contributions and sacrifices inspire us all. They remind us that success is built on hard work, dedication, and a commitment to tradition,” he added.
Tracing the growth of the Indian economy to a trillion dollars from 1947 to 2007, and becoming the fifth largest from 2007 to 2014 surpassing Japan and Germany, he said that India was now projected to reach new milestones sooner than anticipated. He observed that the country was witnessing a resurgence of rich cultural heritage with the new National Education Policy. Indians are leading major companies and universities around the world and carry the essence of Indian culture and values, enriching societies beyond borders, he said.
Dr T S Bhal, Founder of HRF and former Director General of Police, also shared the dais on this occasion. Anita Tilwe and Asawari Deshpande conducted the proceedings of the programme.
