Padma Bhushan for Mar Chrysostom, Padma Shri for Lakshmikutty, M.R. Rajagopal

P. Parameswaran, Director, Bharatiya Vichar Kendra, has been conferred the Padma Vibhushan, the country’s second highest civilian honour.

Philipose Mar Chrysostom, Senior Metropolitan of the Mar Thomas Syrian Church, has been conferred the Padma Bhushan while traditional healer Lakshmikutty and palliative care physician M.R.Rajagopal were selected for the Padma Shri. The awards were announced on Thursday.

One of the seniormost RSS pracharaks and ideologues in Kerala, Mr. Parameswaran was associated with the Ramakrishna Mission and Advaita Ashram, Kalady.

He has authored several books on social, cultural and religious themes.

Mar Chrysostom, who turned 100 last year, is the longest serving bishop in India.

Sblime personality

A sublime personality, he is known for his sense of humour, pleasant talk, love of humanity and concern for the socially and economically backward sections.

A native of Vithura near here, Ms. Lakshmikutty is known for her treatment of snake and insect bites using herbal medicines.

Popularly known as Vanamuthassy (Grandmother of the jungle), the 75-year-old lives in a small hut in a tribal settlement and teaches at the Kerala Folklore Akademi.

Dr.Rajagopal is the founder chairman of Pallium India, a palliative care non-governmental organisation. He played a key role in the creation of the National Programme for Palliative Care and contributed to the amendment of the draconian Narcotic Drugs and Psychotropic Substances (NDPS) Act of 1985, allowing millions to access pain relief.

The Padma awards are announced on the eve of Republic Day every year.