• Source:JND
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HIRBAI Ibrahim Lobi received the Padma Shri award from President Droupadi Murmu on Wednesday. Lobi, who hails from the African-origin Siddi tribe, has been conferred with the award because of her work to uplift and develop the Siddi tribal community.

In a video shared by the news agency ANI, Prime Minister Narendra Modi can be seen bowing as she approached him during the Padma Awards ceremony held at Rashtrapati Bhavan in New Delhi. In response, she can also be seen bowing to PM Modi to show her gesture towards him. She also said a few words, which were followed by an applause by the audience, including the senior Union Ministers sitting besides PM Modi, such as Amit Shah and Smriti Irani.

Lobi, a resident of Jambur village in Junagadh, has been honoured with the fourth-highest civilian award by the government of India.

Earlier, she expressed her special gratitude to the government of India, President Droupadi Murmu, and especially Prime Minister Narendra Modi for honouring her with the Padma Award.

She also shared her experience in an interview with the news agency ANI.

She spent a large part of her life working for the uplift of Siddi tribal women and the education of children. Till now, she has changed the lives of more than 700 women and innumerable children.

Surrounded by Babbar lions, the livelihood of the women of the Siddi community depended on wood cutting, Hirbai told ANI. Being a radio enthusiast, she took it upon herself to support the women of her community.

Since childhood, Hirbai used to get information about women’s development schemes in Siddi through the radio.

She first joined the Agakhan Foundation and then launched a campaign to make women self-reliant by associating with BAIF, a farmer’s organization. So far, she has taught more than 700 women to open bank accounts and save money.

She has played an important role in bringing women forward and has also taught them farming. She provided employment to women with the help of social organizations through radio. Hirabai, while speaking to ANI, said, "I have not grown trees in the forest, but I have saved the forest from being cut."

Till now she has been honoured with various accolades, but when she got the first prize of $500, she put all the money into the development of the village.

(With Input from Agencies)