Who are the Brazilian and Sri Lankan women awarded the Padma Shri?
Brazil's Lia Diskin and Gloria Areria and Sri Lanka's Deshbandhu Dr Vijara Chitrasena and late Prof Indra Dassanayake were awarded the Padma Shri on January 25.
The Indian Government has awarded the Padma Shri to two Brazilian women and two Sri Lankan women.
Brazil’s Lia Diskin has been awarded for her contribution in spreading Gandhian principles in Brazil and Latin America. Gloria Areria, a resident of Rio de Janeiro is a Sanskrit scholar and Vedanta teacher. Sri Lanka’s Deshbandhu Dr Vajira Chitrasena and Late Prof. Indra Dassanayake were honoured with Padma Shri, the fourth highest civilian award in the country.
(L-R)Lia Diskin, Gloria Areria, Deshbandhu Dr Vajira Chitrasena and Late Prof. Indra Dassanayake.
Lia Diskin, a Gandhian, was honoured for her social work that she has undertaken for over three decades. She has been actively involved in disseminating Gandhian philosophy and values of peace and non-violence in Latin America.
She is also an author of many books on education, peace, ethics and culture, and has translated Gandhi’s An Autobiography - My Experiments with Truth. She is widely known in Brazil for her selfless service to society, having worked on multiple projects such as Gandhi Network, approved by 14 Brazilian states to impart training, information, and guidance on a culture of peace-oriented activities and knowledge.
Gloria Areria was awarded for her contribution to literature and education. A pioneer in Sanskrit and Vedanta, she has dedicated most of her time to teaching and promoting Advaita Vedanta in Portuguese language. She has translated many Sanskrit texts into Portuguese, including the Bhagavad Gita, Upanishads and many others. She founded Vidya Mandir, a non-profit institution based in Copacabana, Rio de Janeiro, and has been working since 1984 to preserve the culture and knowledge of the Vedas.
Deshbandhu Dr Vajira Chitrasena at 87 is considered a living legend in Sri Lanka. She has been honoured with the Padma Shri for her contribution to Indo-Sri Lankan ties through dance. She has fused Sri Lanka’s Kandyan dance form with Odissi. Through the Chitrasena-Vajira Dance Foundation, she has made several trips to India to develop cultural ties through dance. She has also been awarded Sri Lanka’s greatest honour, Deshbandhu.
Late Prof. Indra Dassanayake has contributed to the spread of Hindi literature in the island nation. An alumnus of the University of Lucknow, she was a renowned professor of Hindi at Kelaniya University. Born in India in 1943, she is instrumental in introducing and promoting Hindi in educational institutions in Sri Lanka. She passed away in September 2019.
(Edited by Rekha Balakrishnan)
