Banarasi sari pehen ke Padma Shri award lena ka mazaa hi alag tha: Prashanti Singh

While the announcement of the nomination for the Padma Shri would possibly have come as a surprise to Prashanti Singh, the Varanasi woman, who is a basketball player and has participated and captained the Indian workforce in many world championships, went well-prepared to obtain the award. President Ram Nath Kovind presented the Padma Bhushan and Padma Shri awards at the Rashtrapati Bhavan in Delhi on Saturday. “I sought after to wear a pure Banarasi sari for the rite. So, my mom, who accompanied me along side my brother for the rite, introduced a pure Banarasi sari which I may wear for the auspicious occasion. Banarasi sari pehen ke Padma Shri award lena ka mazaa hello alag tha. Earlier other people have been suggesting that I will have to either wear linen or Kanjiwaram sari for the rite however I sought after to wear a Banarasi sari for which my hometown is known for. Yes, Banarasi paan bhi famous hai however that I couldn’t eat while receiving the award,” chuckles an excited Prashanti while speaking to us at the phone quickly after the rite. Dedicating this award to her mother, Prashanti says, “I needed to devote this highest civilian award to my mother as she has been my pillar of energy from adolescence. She has done so much for all of the family that yeh award toh unko deciate karna hello banta tha.”

Prashanti Singh with mother Urmila and brother Vikrant at the rite (BCCL)

Telling us in regards to the evening earlier than the award, when she met different awardees, Prashanti says, “When the entire awardees met for dinner, I think I was the youngest awardee amongst them all. In truth, all of them have been pulling my leg asking my age however then I told them please ask my work revel in in the field of sports and not my age as I was manner too young in comparison to the other awardees present there. Ideally one will have to all the time believe the work revel in of a sportsperson from adolescence because all folks start coaching at an overly young age. We have to steer a disciplined existence from when we are kids. I started coaching at the age of 8. Maine saara bachpan coaching mein devote kar diya. I was so busy with sports, that I by no means attended any family wedding and likewise I didn’t know half of my relations. It is now that I am meeting them. So itni difficult existence hoti hai hamari.”

Prashanti Singh with friends and family (BCCL)

However, the spotlight of the rite for Prashanti used to be meeting Prime Minister Narendra Modi. “He met me in my view against the top of the rite. When we went for a photograph within the Ashoka Hall, he smiled and mentioned, ‘Aur bhai, Kashi mein ab tumhara stadium bann raha hai ya nahi?’ He even asked me to inspire kids in Banaras and the entire of Uttar Pradesh to play sports. Towards the top of the conversation I told him thanks Saansad ji and he laughed out loud. Narendra Modi ji used to be not meeting me like a Prime Minister as a substitute he used to be in point of fact pally with me,” she mentioned.