On the eve of Republic Day 2024, the Ministry of Home Affairs, Government of India, announced the recipients of the Padma Awards. Among them is Sano Vamuzo from Nagaland, who has been honored with the Padma Shri Award in the field of social work. She is the founder-president of the Naga Mothers Association formed in 1984, and has also held the position of chairperson for the Nagaland State Women’s Commission.
The Padma Awards, among the highest civilian honors in the country, are bestowed in three categories: Padma Vibhushan, Padma Bhushan, and Padma Shri. Recognizing excellence in various fields such as art, social work, public affairs, science and engineering, trade and industry, medicine, literature and education, sports, and civil service, the awards aim to honor exceptional and distinguished service.
The President of India confers these awards at ceremonial functions held at Rashtrapati Bhawan, typically in March or April each year. For the year 2024, the President has approved the conferment of 132 Padma Awards, including 2 duo cases. The list comprises 5 Padma Vibhushan, 17 Padma Bhushan, and 110 Padma Shri Awards. Notably, 30 of the awardees are women, and the list includes 8 individuals from the category of Foreigners / NRI / PIO / OCI, along with 9 posthumous awardees.