Meet 5 Inspiring PadmaShri women awardees 2018 this Women’s day

It is a time to celebrate this #womensday cheering such amazing women and getting inspired to give back to the society. This story is a part of Blogtrain hosted by me, in association with 9 other strong women bloggers to celebrate the spirit of womanhood.

Womanhood is on the rise, I have such a strong feel about this beautiful creature that God has created! A creature with immense feelings, who can sometimes cry and sometimes fight. One who can give birth and even take the life of a demon, someone who worships and someone who is worshipped. Women has so many attributes and the more I read about the “Venus” of the Universe, the more love and passion I feel towards them.

Its true that Womanhood needs to be cherished and celebrated like nothing else. She is a strong social voice, a pampering lover, a nurturing mother, a caring daughter in law, and a playful yet the most loving daughter! Don’t ever miss this gem!!

So this year started with a great note, for a country with 1.3 billion people, wherein we got to see 14 women being awarded with the highest civilian honours of India, the “Padma Awards 2018”. These awards recognise exceptional service in all the fields wherein there is an element of “Public Service”.  It was a proud moment to salute these 14 women, for their incredible work be it related to art or social service.

I would really love to share 5 such women here, who have worked for throughout their life, and even now, despite being in their old age they are equally cherishing their work towards a cause. Their age has not deterred them of their acts, but their passion has only risen along with their age numbers! I salute these women today and share some inspiration to the world!

You can read about 9 more inspirational Indian women and know how strong a woman can be.

Lakshmi Kutty

Often called as “ Grandmother of the Jungle”, now 75years old, she has been a blessing for many people. A tribal woman, living in a hut inside the forest of Kallar in Thiruvananthapuram, Kerala , she is a gem when it comes to Medicinal plants and herbal cures. She knows more than 500 herbal medicines , is a poison healer (snake/insect poisons), a teacher at the Kerala Folklore academy, and yes even a poet. She even gives lectured across various institutions when it comes to natural plants, their medicinal uses. It has been more than 40 years that she has been serving people with her medicines made from the medicinal plants.

She wish to convert her small hut into a hospital, to serve more people who need treatments. True so, she is an inspiration for a selfless service by a strong headed women, with a power to serve humanity.

Sulagatti Narasamma

What do your honour a lady who has delivered more than 1500 babies, all free of cost, as  aservice to bring a beautiful being in this world! Yes, this is what, Narasamma , now 97 years old has been serving for 70 years. She has been giving the most precious gifts to mothers, their babies, without a single penny. It was all started then, when the hospitals were not heard of in the small districts as Tumkur district in Karnataka. She was only 20 years when she brought the first child in this world and since then, she has been selflessly helping thousands of mothers. Today, her work is even carried forward by close to 180 pupils, who has gained experience from her work.

She has been awarded the Padma Shri for serving people in areas where there was no medical facility. Indeed, she is a treasure to be cherished for ever!    

V Nanammal

Image Source : Twitter

Can you imagine not a single visit to hospital, no serious medical complications till the age of 98? Yes, that’s what this 98 years old Yoga Instructor boasts, to help people live a life of purity and with full energy. Even today, she gets up at 5am and practises yoga and asana’s that needs complete bending. She can still balance her body on her shoulders, oh something even I cannot for more than few seconds. Yoga has got its deep roots in India and this woman is a living soul, who vouch for its amazing benefits for a healthy life.

She has trained more than 10 lakh people in Yoga, and it is said that out of then 10,000 are Yoga Instructors spread across. Her students have also many Gold Medals at International Yoga Championships. Isn’t that an amazing gift she has given to humanity? A great way to be healthy and live a disease free life? Even at the age of 98, she trains more than 100 students every day at her centre in Coimbatore. Yoga and a healthy food, is somewhat she contributes for her long energetic life. Can you beat it, she has never tasted coffee or Tea, and what she sips are all natural drinks.

We need to really understand the importance of Yoga and Herbal pure foods to have a simple yet elegant life like her.

Subhashini Mistry

The poor healing hands who vouched that people shall not lose their loved ones just due to the lack of Medical attention and facilities. She grieved over the loss of her husband, when she was young, had 4 children (youngest one 2 years) to feed and educate, over gastroenteritis. The major reason, Poverty. They did not have enough money to get the treatment and thus she ended up losing their sole bread earner, he husband and daddy to 4 little children. Despite being illiterate, she took up tasks as house maid, shoe cleaner, vegetable seller and saved penny by penny to see her dream for the poor.

Can you imagine, she started a small hospital in her hut, with all the savings she could do with these tasks she opted for? Yes, and that hut got a proper concrete roof soon with the help of donations from people. It also got visiting doctors to treat the poor at her hospital, that too free of cost.

She is now 75 years old and she still has nothing materialistic to herself. Still her doctor son and daughter own her hospital and treat poor free of costs. To her smile on the face of patients when they are relieved is the only wealth she possess and cherishes in her life.

I can just hope that I make such a mark in my life, to serve selflessly in this world and see smile on faces, due to humble acts. She truly deserves the highest gallantry award.

Dr. Rani Abhay Bang

She along with her husband, have worked throughout for the social and educational betterment of the tribal people of Gadchiroli district in Maharashtra. They initially set up an organization – SEARCH (Society for Education, Action & Research in Community Health) for the survey of health conditions amongst the people of that district. With their startling facts on Gynaecological disorders and child mortality, their next action was the establishment of Shodh-gram. It is a tribal friendly hospital to provide health care facilities to the tribal people.

They also campaigned against alcoholism and formed a group which worked for women and children to free them from the alcoholic abuse. These doctors have dedicated their lives to the social service and indeed deserve this highest award.

My amazing readers, what do you think would have got these women here? To me, its the determination, perseverance, strong head and an emotional loving heart of a woman which provoked them to this destiny. Their paths were full of thorns, but their hearts were full of beautiful roses, which made them serve people.

Allow me to introduce, my fellow blogger Priyanka, who blogs at Flavorsofworld, wherein she writes about fashion, food and yes her emotions of being a woman. Her posts are thought rendering and in the end you feel your soul into her writings. I would urge my readers to do give her next post on womanhood a read and share their views!

This post is also written as a part of the #AlexaTheIncredible campaign hosted by #womenbloggerwb”

Celebrate Womanhood this Women’s Day!

Jhilmil: Quest to live the life surrounded with the charming little bundle's of joy. When they speak, I sing, When they smile, I rejoice , When they hug, I hold them never to lose, Such is my passion for these Gifts of God. This love urged me to navigate separately from my Travel Blog & establish an "All-In-One" Blog for budding mothers. Mum's have multi-tasked this world ,with all her professional commitments , she still makes an extra effort to be a loving, caring and be an intellectual mommy! Cheers, for me too come from the same fraternity, post having a superb academics & close to 8 years of professional experience and blessed with a little one "who has indeed changed my life from Autumn to Spring";)

View Comments (42)

  • Thank you dear to introduce me.. Going through your post I think if women want to do something na she will. And seriously hard work always paid..

  • These are those special women who have made their life a passion.
    A motive to live for themselves & others - to make a change. Lovely post.

  • These are ALL legitimate superwomen! Specially that yoga instructor. They all serve as deep and meaningful inspirations for all the women around the world.

  • This is the best blog I read today so proud to be an Indian women ... and so inspiring to see these 5 women’s making us and our India proud ☺️

  • Like the untapped potential that thrives deep in the rain forest these woman collectively hold a wealth of wisdom about life, aging and healing that we can only hope the world learns from.

    Also my new "word of the day" is 'lakh'. =)

  • Such inspiration! It is important for women to support each other and nourish the strength we see in others. it is good to mirror in ourselves also!

  • Man... I love how empowered women are becoming in 2018. I'm not sure what changed in the world, but it's something that should have happened a long time ago. For sure.