Srinagar: After Bharat Ratna, Padma Vibhushan, and Padma Bhushan, the Padma Shri is the fourth highest civilian award in the country. Padma awards recognize people whose work has left a lasting mark on society, often away from the spotlight.
This year, three distinguished personalities from Jammu and Kashmir and Ladakh were among the Padma Shri awardees. While horticulture expert and social worker Brij Lal Bhat and Sowa-Rigpa scholar Dr Padma Gurmet received the honour from President Droupadi Murmu during the Civil Investiture Ceremony-II at Rashtrapati Bhavan on June 23, noted Kashmiri writer and academic Prof. Shafi Shauq was honoured during the first ceremony held on May 25, 2026.
Born on March 16, 1945, in south Kashmir's Anantnag district, Bhat built a distinguished career in horticulture but dedicated himself to social service after retirement.
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A postgraduate in horticulture, he later specialized in marketing and refrigeration at Washington State University in the United States. During his career, he held several key positions in Jammu and Kashmir's agriculture and horticulture sectors, including Project Director of Agri Export Zones, Chief Executive Officer of World Bank-supported agricultural projects, and Director of Horticulture Planning and Marketing.
