I-Day 2024: CM Stalin presents various awards, including Thagaisal Thamizhar award

NEW DELHI: Chief Minister M K Stalin on Thursday presented various awards, including Thagaisal Thamizhar award during the Independence Day celebration held near the state secretariat.

Chief Minister Stalin presented Thagaisal Thamizhar award for 2024 to Gandhian and former TNCC president Kumari Ananathan for his outstanding contribution to Tamil society and Tamil Nadu.

A citation released by the state government said that it was after his walkathon from Kalakkad to Radhapuram to provide free electricity to low income farmers that a free electricity scheme was granted for farmers possessing 1.5 acres of wat lands and 2.5 acres of dry lands.

A former MP elected from Nagercoil in 1977, the government citation described Kumari Ananthan as a literary gem who was granted permission to speak in the Parliament in Tamil in 1978 after being expelled from the House for over 10 times.

Dr P Veeramuthuvel, project director of Chandrayaan – III mission at U R Rao Satellite Centre (URSC), ISRO was presented with the Dr APJ Abdul Kalam award for his significant contribution to the Indian space programme.

A Sabeena, a nurse from Nilgiris was presented the Kalpana Chawla award for courage and daring enterprise. Sabeena was honoured for her heroic act of rescuing seriously injured people and saving over 35 lives in the aftermath of the Wayanad landslide.

The government citation said that in the absence of male nurses, she volunteered and travelled (tightly holding the First Aid kit) through a zipline over the raging river, thereby saving over 35 lives.

Chief Minister's Best Practices Award for Data Purity Project was presented to T Vanitha, chief technical officer of the Mudhalvarin Mugavari department for playing a pivotal role in transforming traditional government processes into efficient, transparent, citizen-centric system in Kalaignar Mahalir Urimai Thittam.

IAS officer K Elambahavath, director public libraries was presented with a best practices award for successfully hosting the Chennai International Book Fair, while Dr N Gopalakrishnan, member secretary of Transplant Authority of Tamil Nadu, state health department for successful implementation of deceased donor organ transplantation program.

IAS officer S Divyadarshini, managing director for TN Corporation for Development of Women was presented with the award for successful implementation of CM's Breakfast scheme.

J Innocent Divya, MD of TN Skill Development Corporation was presented with the Best Practices Awards for implementing the Naan Mudhalvan scheme through innovative approach to training and setting a benchmark in youth empowerment and skill development.

Stalin also presented CM's award to Coimbatore Corporation, Thiruvaru municipality, Sulur Town panchayat and 14th zone of Chennai Corporation under the best performing local bodies categories.