The Padma (or Padma Shri) Awards were instituted in 1954 to be awarded to citizens of India in recognition of their distinguished contribution in various spheres of activity including the arts, education, industry, literature, science, sports, medicine, social service and public affairs. And the veteran author and teacher, Namdeo Kamble, is the sole individual from Vidarbha (the northeastern region of the Indian state of Maharashtra) to be awarded the prestigious Padma Shri honour this year.

Kamble, most widely known for his Sahitya Akademi Award winning fiction, ‘Raghav Vel’, is a veteran not only in fiction and poetry, but also in the field of critical and philosophical writing. His recent two publications, ‘Mahatma Gandhi ani Dr Ambedkar’ (Mahatma Gandhi and Dr Ambedkar) and ‘Gandhi Udya sathi’ (Gandhi For Tomorrow) are considered to be thought-provoking analyses of the two great personalities. Kamble, who had been a teacher, journalist, orator and social worker is also a sensitive poet and a critic in Marathi literature.

In conversation with the Times of India, Kamble expressed his gratitude to the Indian government for recognizing his literary contribution: “I consider this award as an appreciation to my experiments in the field of literature”. As mentioned in the government notification, he has been awarded not only as a littérateur but also for his contribution in the field of education; Kamble said his latest two books are dedicated to social education.

Kamble was born and brought up in Shirpur village of Malegaon tehsil in Washim district, and was the youngest among six siblings. He initially wished to become a doctor, but later realized his interests lay in literature and teaching. While teaching, he continued writing lyrical essays, novels, short stories, poems and critical appreciations – and is now a renowned motivational speaker as well.

(Article extracted from The Times of India with minor revisions to the headline and text by Sakshi Selvanathan)