TFP Bureau, Raipur, November 5, 2025: As part of the Chhattisgarh Silver Jubilee Celebration–2025, Vice President of India Shri C.P. Radhakrishnan today honored 37 distinguished individuals and 4 institutions with 34 Chhattisgarh State Awards at the State Awards Ceremony held in Nava Raipur. The event, organized during the State Festival, celebrated the outstanding achievements and contributions of citizens who have excelled in various fields including social service, literature, culture, journalism, agriculture, and public welfare.
The ceremony was presided over by Governor Shri Ramen Deka, with Chief Minister Shri Vishnu Deo Sai as the chief guest. Speaker of the Chhattisgarh Legislative Assembly Dr. Raman Singh, Deputy Chief Minister Shri Vijay Sharma, cabinet ministers, MPs, MLAs, and senior officials were present on the occasion, making it a grand culmination of the state’s Silver Jubilee festivities.
The Vice President commended the awardees for their exemplary contributions in advancing Chhattisgarh’s development and preserving its cultural identity. He said the State Awards reflect the people’s spirit of service, innovation, and resilience — the same values that have driven Chhattisgarh’s progress over the past 25 years. Chief Minister Shri Vishnu Deo Sai also congratulated the honorees and reaffirmed the government’s commitment to supporting talent and dedication across all sectors.
At the ceremony, the prestigious Shaheed Veer Narayan Singh Award was conferred upon Shri Hiresh Sinha of Kanker district for his commitment to social service and community leadership. The Yati Yatanlal Award went to the Indian Leprosy Eradication Association, Katre Nagar Sothi, Janjgir-Champa district, for its sustained efforts in health and social welfare. Ms. Gyaneshwari Yadav of Rajnandgaon received the Gundadhur Award for contributions to tribal welfare, while Smt. Laleshwari Sahu of Durg was honored with the Minimata Award for her work in women’s empowerment.
The Guru Ghasidas Award was jointly presented to Shri Bhuvandas Jangde of Bemetara and Shri Shashi Gaikwad of Balodabazar-Bhatapara for their efforts in promoting social harmony and education. The Thakur Pyarelal Singh Awardwas given to the Primary Agricultural Credit Cooperative Society, Doma, Dhamtari district, recognizing its role in strengthening rural economies.
In the field of culture and arts, Dr. Kunj Bihari Sharma of Raipur received the Habib Tanvir Award for his contribution to theatre and literature, while Ms. Chandni Sahu of Bilaspur was honored with the Maharaja Pravir Chandra Bhanjdeo Award for promoting tribal culture.
The Pandit Ravi Shankar Shukla Award went to Shri Rajesh Agarwal of Raipur for his contribution to public life, and the Pandit Sundarlal Sharma Award to Dr. Chintaranjan Kar for his achievements in education. Pandit Kirti Madhav Lal Vyas of Durg received the Chakradhar Award for classical music, while Shri Rikhi Kshatriya of Durg was honored with the Dau Mandaraji Award for folk arts.
In agriculture, the Dr. Khubchand Baghel Krishi Ratna Award was jointly presented to Shri Thanendra Kumar Sahu of Dhamtari and Shri Vaman Kumar Tikariha of Balodabazar for innovations in sustainable farming. Shri Rajendra Agarwal Raju of Bilaspur received the Maharaja Agrasen Award for entrepreneurship and community service.
The journalism fraternity was also recognized for its contribution to ethical reporting and public awareness. Dr. Sandeep Kumar Tiwari of Raipur received the Chandulal Chandrakar Memorial Journalism Award (Print Media–Hindi), while Dr. Somesh Kumar Patel and Shri Abhishek Shukla, both from Raipur, jointly received the Electronic Media (Hindi) award. Ms. Bhavna Pandey of Durg was honored with the Madhukar Kher Memorial Journalism Award (Print Media–English).
The Danveer Bhamashah Award went to Shri Neeraj Kumar Bajpai of Rajnandgaon for philanthropy, and the Dhanvantari Award was conferred upon Dr. Ajay Krishna Kulshrestha for excellence in medicine. The Smt. Bilasadevi Kenwat Fisheries Development Award recognized Shri Sukhdev Das of Raipur for advancements in fisheries.
Among institutional honors, Jango Raytar Vidya Ketul Shikshan Sanstha of Damaksa, Kanker, received the Dr. Bhanwarsingh Porte Tribal Service Award for educational service in tribal areas. The Ramanuj Pratap Singhdeo Memorial Shram Yashasvi Award was jointly presented to Shri Mithilesh Kumar Adil and Agrasar Team of Durg district, as well as to NTPC Ltd., Lara Super Thermal Power Project, Pusaur, Raigarh, for their contributions to labor welfare and industrial development.
Other notable awardees included Shri Yogesh Kumar Sahu of Kanker (Pandit Lakhanlal Mishra Award), Shri Manish Tiwari of Raipur (Chhattisgarh Non-Resident Indian Award), Shri Rohit Kumar Kosariya of Mahasamund (Devdas Banjare Memorial Panthi Dance Award), and Shri Sunil Soni of Raipur (Kishore Sahu Award).
Shri Rakesh Tiwari of Raipur received the Lakshman Masturiya Award for literature, Dr. Vinod Kumar Verma of Bilaspur the Lala Jagdalpuri Literature Award, and filmmaker Shri Anurag Basu from Mumbai the Kishore Sahu National Awardfor cinema.
The Barrister Thakur Chhedilal Award was jointly presented to Shri Khemchand Jain of Rajnandgaon, Dr. Suresh Mani Tripathi, Dr. Bhupendra Karwande, and Shri Bharatlal Soni of Raipur for contributions to legal and social service. The Veerangana Avantibai Lodhi Memorial Award went to Smt. Premshila Baghel of Mahasamund, while the Mata Bahadur Kalarin Award honored Smt. Shilpa Pandey Srishti of Surguja for women’s empowerment.
Shri Avdhesh Kumar of New Delhi received the Pandit Madhav Rao Sapre National Creativity Award, and Dr. Dadu Bhai Tripathi of Raipur was conferred the Sanskrit Language Award for promoting classical learning.
The ceremony concluded with a resounding applause for the awardees, whose contributions reflect the diverse and dynamic spirit of Chhattisgarh. The Vice President commended their dedication and said that the awards symbolize the people’s partnership in shaping a progressive, inclusive, and culturally vibrant Chhattisgarh — a true embodiment of the spirit of the Silver Jubilee celebration.
