Amreli: Union Home and Cooperation Minister Amit Shah on Thursday said the Padma awards were intended to recognise people who devoted their lives to public service without seeking recognition, as he praised philanthropist Savjibhai Dholakia’s work in water conservation.
Speaking at the inauguration of the ‘Gujarat Gaurav Sarovar’ in Dudhala, Amreli district, Shah referred to Dholakia’s receipt of the Padma Shri and his reported remark that he had not applied for the honour.
“Savjibhai said, ‘I did not even apply, and I was given the Padma Shri.’ Savjibhai, after doing so much work for water conservation through 208 lakes, if you still have to apply, then our government would be considered useless if the government cannot see it,” Shah said.
The Central government conferred the Padma Shri on Savji Dholakia in 2022 for Social Work. He received the honour from then President Ram Nath Kovind at Rashtrapati Bhavan in March 2022.
Dholakia, founder and chairman of Hari Krishna Exports, was recognised for his social initiatives and contribution to community welfare.
His philanthropic work has included water-conservation projects and the development of lakes in water-scarce areas of Gujarat.
He stressed that national civilian honours were not meant for those receiving them because of family connections or personal familiarity.
“Padma Shri, Padma Bhushan, Padma Vibhushan and Bharat Ratna… these awards are not for families, nor are they for acquaintances and relatives. These awards are for those who, without seeking praise, devote their entire lives to the people of ‘Bharat Mata’ and the poor,” Shah said.
Shah highlighted Dholakia’s work in water conservation, saying the construction of 208 lakes over a lifetime represented a significant contribution.
“The impact of the initiative extended beyond the individual projects by encouraging a wider culture of water conservation in Saurashtra,” he said.
He also spoke about the work undertaken by the Dholakia family’s foundation in South Gujarat.
Shah recalled his discussions with Rajya Sabha MP Govind Dholakia and said the foundation had undertaken initiatives in villages across the region, including constructing Hanuman temples, organising satsangs and setting up schools.
“I have urged the group to expand the initiative beyond 250 villages to cover 1,100 villages. The foundation had established Hanuman temples, organised Sundarkand programmes on Saturdays and supported schools in South Gujarat,” he said.
Referring to an interaction with students who had performed well academically, Shah said he was particularly moved by tribal children reciting Sanskrit shlokas and Durga Stavan.
“I was truly moved by the way children from tribal families and tribal villages were reciting Sanskrit shlokas and Durga Stavan,” he said.
Shah also referred to the Dholakia family’s approach to philanthropy, saying wealth should benefit others.
“Money, brother, is the grace of the Almighty and Goddess Lakshmi that comes to many people. But when you consider Lakshmi as a daughter and send her to someone else’s home, only then can it be said that you have truly worshipped Lakshmi,” he said.
Shah congratulated Dholakia and his team for their work and said he hoped the initiatives undertaken in the region would inspire similar water conservation efforts across Saurashtra and Gujarat.
(IANS)
