Baba Ramdev, Sri Sri Ravi Shankar decline Padma award
NEW DELHI : Yoga guru Baba Ramdev and spiritual guru Sri Sri Ravi Shankar have humbly declined to accept the Padma award which was slated to be awarded on the occasion of 66th Republic Day. Instead, both of them recommended on Saturday that the prestigious Padma Vibushan, the second highest civilian award, should be given to some other ‘great’ person.
While Ramdev said that he is grateful for being chosen for the honour but it should be given to someone else and not to an ascetic, Sri Sri thanked the Narendra Modi-led NDA government for considering him for the award.
Baba Ramdev, in a letter to the Home Minster Rajnath Singh, humbly refused to accept the Padma award adding that since he is a ‘sanyasi’ hence should refrain from getting “rewards or honours”. “I am a `sanyasi` and want to serve the country without expecting anything,” he said, adding that a recluse must remain the same while he is honoured or disrespected.
Ramdev further said that this honour should be given to some other personality who is more deserving. “I urge you to give this honour to somebody doing something great. I would be grateful to you,” he said.
