TN govt honours Padma Venkataraman with Avvaiyar award

Chennai: Tamil Nadu government today honoured social worker Padma Venkataraman with the state's "Avvaiyar Award" for 2017.

Padma, daughter of former President of India, the late R Venkataraman, was honoured for her efforts in the areas of women's welfare and rehabilitation of leprosy-affected persons for the past 30 years, an official release said here.

Chief Minister K Palaniswami gave away the award to Venkataraman, the release said, adding, it carried a cheque for Rs one lakh, a gold medal weighing 8 gm, and a certificate.

The "Avvaiyar Award" was constituted by late Chief Minister J Jayalalithaa in 2012 to honour women actively working in the areas of social reform, women's development, culture, media, inter-faith harmony, and administration, among others.

Venkataraman, Chairperson of Women's Indian Association (WIA), called the award a "great honour."

"This only reflects on Chief Minister and the Government of Tamil Nadu's involvement in advancement of women, children, the differently-abled and the leprosy affected people," she was quoted as saying.

The award will "only strengthen our resolve" to serve the society as best as possible, she added.