Lede

Dr Neelam Gupta runs A Ray of Hope (AROH) Foundation in Odisha, Jharkhand and Bihar. She speaks of what it takes to venture into dangerous territories to rehabilitate and empower youths.

An unsung hero, Jaya Reddy from Delhi's Anand Parbat colony has spent over two decades working with leprosy patients. Here's her story.

Awarded the Padma Bhushan posthumously, Dr Sanjaya Rajaram, an Indian-Mexican agricultural scientist, developed high-yielding and disease-resistant wheat varieties that small and large farmers grow across 51 countries.

Gond artist Jangarh Singh Shyam went from drawing on the walls of tribal huts to his art being displayed in prestigious museums. Today, his legacy is carried forward by his family.

Among the Padma Shri winners this year is IAS officer Guruprasad Mohapatra, who has posthumously received the honour for his valiant efforts to mitigate the second wave of COVID-19 in 2021.

Independent research scientist Dr Ajai Kumar Sonkar is being awarded the Padma Shri this year for his discovery of black pearls, which has gained him international recognition.

Each award carries a medal, a cash prize of Rs 1 lakh, a certificate and a citation. Here's the list of children being awarded along with a summary of their achievements.

The world’s first republic, Vaishali, is in Bihar, India. Here’s the story of its rise and fall, and why it was an integral city in ancient India.

An unsung woman freedom fighter, Umabai Kundapur championed the rights and education of women. Here's her forgotten story.

In 1995, public health scientist Dr Smarajit Jana formed Durbar, a collective of over 65,000 sex workers, who banded together to advocate for their rights, health, and agency, leading to a number of transformations across the country.