- Padma Shri to Bastar’s ‘elder sister’ Budhri Tati and Dantewada’s dedicated doctor couple Dr. Ramchandra Tryambak Godbole-Sunita Godbole.
- Chief Minister Shri Vishnu Dev Sai congratulated all three dignitaries.
The Central Government has announced the prestigious Padma Awards for the year 2026. It is a moment of great pride for Chhattisgarh that three distinguished personalities from the state have been selected for the Padma Shri award. For their remarkable contributions to social service, Dantewada social worker Budhari Tati and Dr. Ramchandra Trimbak Godbole and Sunita Godbole, who have been selflessly working in the medical field for decades, will be honored with the Padma Shri award. The Godbole couple will receive this honor jointly. Chief Minister Shri Vishnu Dev Sai congratulated and wished the three dignitaries on their selection for the Padma Shri award. The Chief Minister said that this is a matter of pride for Chhattisgarh. All three eminent personalities have brought honor to Chhattisgarh with their spirit of service, humanitarian compassion, and social commitment.
The inclusion of these three eminent personalities from Chhattisgarh in the list of Padma Awards announced on the eve of Republic Day is a matter of honor and pride for the state. It is particularly noteworthy that all the honored personalities have been serving the remote and Naxal-affected areas of the Bastar region for years.
- Bastar’s ‘Badi Didi’ Budhari Tati awarded Padma Shri
Budhari Tati, a resident of Hiranar village in Dantewada district, will be awarded the Padma Shri for her work in women’s empowerment, tribal upliftment, and social service. Since 1984, she has been continuously working in the fields of de-addiction, literacy campaigns, social awareness, and women and girls’ education in forest areas. Budhari Tati has empowered more than 500 women to become self-reliant. Budhari Tati has also been honored by the Chhattisgarh government. She has dedicated her entire life to educating tribal girls, empowering women, and serving the elderly. Because of her dedication and affection, local people respectfully address her as “Badi Didi.”
- Godbole couple honored for providing free medical services in remote areas
Dr. Ramchandra Trimbak Godbole and his wife, Sunita Godbole, will jointly receive the Padma Shri for their exemplary contributions to medical care. Ayurvedic physician Dr. Godbole and his wife have been providing free medical care in remote tribal areas like Bastar and Abujhmad for over 37 years.
With the aim of spreading health awareness, malnutrition eradication, and primary care to the masses, the two, through their “Trust for Health,” have brought treatment to villages lacking even basic amenities like roads, electricity, and mobile network. They personally travel to these areas on foot or by limited means, organizing regular health camps and treating patients.
The selection of these Chhattisgarh dignitaries for the Padma Shri award brings national recognition to the state’s spirit of service, humanitarianism, and social commitment. This honor is a matter of pride not only for the individuals involved but also for the entire state of Chhattisgarh, especially the Bastar region, and serves as a source of inspiration for those working in the field of social service.