6 Padma awardees are pride and joy of TN

TIMES NEWS NETWORK

Chennai: Apart from the maestro Ilaiyaraaja, five other people from Tamil Nadu were given Padma awards.

The 88-year-old archaeologist, R Nagaswamy, was awarded the Padma Bhushan, wildlife conservationist Romulus Whitaker, 74, the Padmashri, professor Rajagopalan Vasudevan, the plastic man of India, folk singer and composer Vijayalakshmi Navaneethakrishnan and V Nanammal, the 97-year-old yoga enthusiast whose videos went viral, were also awarded the Padmashri.

Nagaswamy, a former state archaeology department director, has been closely associated with the TN’s idol theft wing in tracking down stolen idols. At 88, he is sought after by all investigative agencies for tracking idol thefts.

Whitaker is a herpetologist, wildlife conservationist and founder of Madras Snake Park and Madras Crocodile Bank Trust. In December 2016, National Geographic labelled him India’s snake man who has spent the past six decades in reptile research and rain forest conservation.

Vasudevan is currently dean, department of chemistry, at Thiagarajar College of Engineering, Madurai. Vasudevan developed the technology of laying roads using recycled plastics in 2001. He told TOI that his work had benefited the common man, about which he was happy. “This award will also motivate many others to innovate with simple technology for the benefit of the community and the common man,” said the 72-year-old professor, who still continues to guide many on the technology, including women’s self-help groups which are into plastic recycling. Vijayalakshmi has, with her husband M Navaneethakrishnan, researched folk art and culture. She popularised folk songs among the younger generation. The couple have recorded more than 10,000 albums of folk music and are in the process of compiling an encyclopaedia of Tamil folk art.