Cuttack: The Orissa High Court has issued notices to two persons with identical name to appear before it to present their case February 24. Both these persons claimed to have been conferred the Padma Shri award in 2023.
It is worth mentioning here that the name ‘Shri Antaryami Mishra’ of Odisha appeared on the Padma Shri awardee’s list of 2023 for his contribution to literature and education.
Interestingly, a journalist by the name Antaryami Mishra went to New Delhi and received the award from President Droupadi Murmu. Later, a physician, Dr Antaryami Mishra, moved the Orissa High Court claiming that his namesake impersonated him to receive the award.
In a writ petition, the doctor claimed that he authored 29 books in Odia and other Indian languages, leading to his name being included in the Padma Shri awardee list of 2023. The petitioner further claimed that his namesake has no book to his credit.
During a hearing of the case on Tuesday, Justice SK Panigrahi observed that despite the rigorous verification process by the government, a mix-up had occurred due to identical names, raising concerns over the credibility of the selection process.
Now, the High Court has directed both claimants to be physically present along with all publications and materials to substantiate their claims.
