Chennai: Tamil Nadu government on Tuesday honoured social worker Padma Venkataraman with the state's Avvaiyar Award for 2017.
Padma, daughter of former President of India, the late R. Venkataraman, was honoured for her efforts in the areas of women's welfare and rehabilitation of leprosy-affected persons for the past 30 years, an official release said here. Chief Minister K. Palanisami gave away the award to Venkataraman, the release said, adding, it carried a cheque for Rs 1 lakh, a gold medal weighing 8 gm, and a certificate.
The Avvaiyar Award was constituted by late Chief Minister J. Jayalalithaa in 2012 to honour women actively working in the areas of social reform, women's development, culture, media, inter-faith harmony, and administration, among others.
Padma Venkataraman, chairperson of Women's Indian Association (WIA), called the award a “great honour.” “This only reflects on Chief Minister and the Government of Tamil Nadu's involvement in advancement of women, children, the differently-abled and the leprosy affected people,” she was quoted as saying. The award will “only strengthen our resolve” to serve the society as best as possible, she added.
