The New Year started with its slew of awards from films and arts to the ’prestigious’ Padmashris and Padma bhushans. The last are given by the Government of India to derserving people from various fields. The race to be on the list starts a year ahead as getting the Padma Shri is still considered a plus when affixed in front of name.

Over the years these awards are loosing their sheen and relevance as more and more undeserving people are walking awaywith them. There are some deserving candidates but majority have some link or another. A dentist I was visiting was awarded Padma shri few years earler simply because he was the then President’s dentist. Well at that time it appeared ’the award goes to the person who knows the art of fixing teeth.’ Maybe there were other qualfications attached to actual work that I or general public was unaware of. Every year sees others in this category but less said about them the better. We have to preserve sanctity of the awards.

I over heard a group of school girls commenting on Sania Mirza getting the Padma shri. ’Sania deserves the award but don’t you think she is too young for it". The girl’s friend responded, " it depends on which sport you are playing and your quotient value". This had me thinking about value etc. but whatever the reasons for Sania’s name in this year’s honor list she has definately opened flood gates for her contemporaries to push aside the affected Arundhati Roys with their psuedo intellectuism and aggressiveness.