The Central Government had announced the names of a total 139 personalities across different fields for Padma Awards, which includes 7 Padma Vibhushan, 19 Padma Bhushan and 113 Padma Shri. Five prominent personalities from Madhya Pradesh will be honored with the Padma Shri award 2025 which was announced on late evening of 25^th January. The awards will be conferred to the nominees in the month of March or April.

The list features devotional folk singer Bheru Singh Chouhan, social entrepreneur Sally Holkar, Nimadi novelist Jagdish Joshila, Budhendra Kumar Jain who is a medical superintendent, trustee of Sadhguru Netra Chikitsalaya, Shri Sadhguru Seva Sangh Trust. Lastly, Harchandan Singh Bhatti, an artist from Bhopal.

Here is a detailed account of all five personalities from the state, who were conferred with the prestigious award:

Bheru Singh Chouhan

The 64-year old devotional folk singer has kept the oral tradition of Nirgun Bhajan and Malwa folk alive since 50 years. He is a Nirgun Kabir Singer known as the ‘Nirgun Bhakti ke Bheru’ from Malwa. Chouhan lives in Bajrangpura, a small village near the Mhow tehsil of Indore. He inherited the art from his father, Madhu Singh Chouhan who also sang Kabir. Bheru has sung bhajans of Meera bai, Gorakhnath, Brahmanand, Kabir Vani and others.

Bheru believes in the teaching of Gita ‘karm karte jaa aur fal ki chinta mat kar’. He was even unaware about receiving the award and was informed from the people around.  

Jagdish Joshila

Jagdish Joshila is a 75-year old novelist from Khargone district of Madhya Pradesh, who has written about 60 books. He is known as ‘Nimadi ke Novelist’ and has been writing for the Nimadi literature since five long decades. Joshila is often referred as the first Nimadi Novelist. His most notable writings include ‘Bhalai ki jadd Patthal mein’ and ‘Gaav ki pehchaan’.

Apart from these the novelist has also translated Jan Nayak Tantya Mama, Madhya Pradesh in the freedom struggle, Nimari idioms, Mere Hindustan, Bharat Vyatha among others.

Sally Holkar

The 82-year old social entrepreneur was born in the USA, who got inspired from Ahilya Bai Holkar’s legacy. She has devoted 50 years of her life to the Maheshwari craft, revitalizing the Maheshwari handloom industry, when it was almost dead. Sally is known as ‘Holkar Weaver of Hope’ from Khargone. The Maheshwari craft is now an art form which is acclaimed worldwide, and is flourishing with time with a mix of tradition with modernity.

Sally has been advocating for women empowerment. She has employed nearly 250 women weavers and installed 110+ looms. Moreover, for her employees Sally has established 45+ houses, a school up to 8^th standard, and a creche. With certain initiatives, Sally has trained women in craft skills, creating sustainable livelihoods, also sponsoring education of 240 youngsters through the Ahilyabai Jyoti School. The women and children are provided with work-study opportunities too.    

Harchandan Singh Bhatti

Harchandan Singh Bhatti will be awarded with the Padma Shri in the field of art. He was born in 1959 in Dehradun, Uttarakhand and graduated in painting from the Fine Arts College of Indore. He has been associated with the Bharat Bhawan of Bhopal ever since it was founded, and has also served as its director. For the past 40 years, Bhatti has been working for the institution.

Bhatti has closely studied the life of tribal people of Madhya Pradesh under the guidance of legendary painter J Swaminathan, later on becoming the art curator for the Madhya Pradesh Tribal Museum. The Madhya Pradesh Government also awarded him with the Rashtriya Kalidas Samman.

Dr. Budhendra Kumar Jain

Dr. Budhendra Kumar Jain was born in Satna and attended the Government Venkat No.1 School for his primary education. According to the notification released by Home Ministry, Government of India, Dr. BK Jain, the Director and Trustee of Sadhguru Seva Sangh Trust, Janaki Kund, Chitrakoot, Madhya Pradesh has been honored with the Padma Shri Award in the field of medicine. BK Jain has been serving eye patients at the Chitrakoot eye Hopsital at the Sadhguru Seva Sangh trust since long. For two decades, he has been working to improve the lives of the people of Bhojpur.

After the news, Satna Collector Anurag Verma congratulated Jain and expressed his happiness upon him receiving the award.

The Padma Shri awardees from Madhya Pradesh have added their names to the history, also another feat to the state’s achievements. They have been unsung personalities who have served the society with their phenomenal art, skills and notable work.