Nag Bhushan Award conferred upon three gems of Nagpur
| Date :19-Nov-2022 |
Staff Reporter
Former Solicitor General of India and senior advocate Harish Salve, eminent freedom fighter and social worker Leelatai Chitaley, former Chief Justice of India (CJI) Sharad Bobde were honoured with Nag Bhushan Award for the years 2019, 2020 and 2021 respectively at the hands of retired Judge of Supreme Court of India Justice Vikas Sirpurkar. The award was conferred upon for their excellent work in respective fields and also bringing name and fame to Nagpur.
The felicitation programme was held at Hotel Radisson Blu in the august gathering of renowned social workers, judges, lawyers and businessmen on Friday evening. The award carried a cash prize of Rs one lakh, shawl, shrifal and a memento. Working President of Nag Bhushan Award Foundation Vilas Kale, former Member of Rajya Sabha Ajay Sancheti, Vice-President of the Foundation Zamin Amin, Secretary Adv Nishant Gandhi and Treasurer Satish Goyal were present on the dais with the awardees.
In his address, former Justice Vikas Sirpurkar, who presided-over the function, gave brief introduction about excellent work done by Adv Salve, Chitaley and Justice Bobde. “Leelatai did a remarkable work in her lifetime and set an example for women,” he said and received applause from the audience.
Sirpurkar also shared his family relations with Adv Salve and recalled NKP Salve’s contribution for the development of Vidarbha. Recalling smart arguments by Adv Salve in the court, Sirpurkar said, “The Judge has to hear Adv Salve with attention everytime.” He also recalled Adv Salve’s great arguments in the International Court of Justice when while arguing for the release of Kulbhushan Jadhav from Pakistan.
While speaking about Justice Bobde, Sirpurkar opined that he gave highest respect to court manners. He honoured the awardees with a poem of ‘Swatantryaveer’ Vinayak Damodar Savarkar. While addressing the gathering, Adv Harish Salve, in his speech, said that his heart was filled with pride after receiving the award. “I am here because this is my hometown where I used to go on bicycles,” he refreshed the memories, adding that this is the city where my mother strengthened her destiny. He thanked for the kind words spoken about him and said that after receiving the lifetime achievement award at this age, he would look for achievements that really matter in life.
In her address, Leelatai shared her experiences with Mahatma Gandhi and his teaching. “Love and affection of people are important in life. The love and warmth are belongings of humans which one takes in heart after death,” she opined.
She further cautioned the audience that the Constitution of India was in danger and appealed to the gathering to protect it. “Equality, justice and freedom are the core principles of the constitution and the constitution needs to be protected anyhow,” she appealed. The 93-year-old Leelatai also thanked Nagpurians for the affection and blessed the audience. “I came here as a daughter-in-law and eventually became the daughter of the city,” Leelatai said.
While addressing the gathering, former CJI Bobde recalled the childhood days he spent with Adv Salve. “This is the city where I wandered with Harish Salve during my childhood days,” he recalled. Bobde thanked the foundation for conferring the award and said, “This was a matter of delight.”
On the comment of Leelatai about the protection of the Constitution of India, Bobde replied that the politics of the country gave such a feeling of insecurity about the Constitution. Because politicians tend to thrive on it. The Judiciary works day in and night out as guardian of the Constitution, he said, adding that the Constitution is absolutely safe.
A video message of Deputy Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis was also telecast in the programme in which he congratulated the awardees. It would be a matter of pride for conferring the award to such eminent persons, said Fadnavis. The programme was compered by Adv Nishant Gandhi. Former MP Ajay Sancheti delivered an introductory speech. High Court Bar Association led by President Adv Atul Pande felicitated the awardees.