“வெள்ளத்தனைய மலர் நீட்டம் –
மாந்தர்தம்
உள்ளத்தனையதுயர்வு.” - திருவள்ளுவர்
“As the length of water plants increases with the level of
water, so the heights reached by you vary with your will.”
I was
reminded of this couplet by Thiruvalluvar when I witnessed the regal
Presidential Award Winners of 2019 seated impressively in the Ambedhkar
International Centre, New Delhi waiting with bated breath to be felicitated by
Shri Anurag Thukur, the hon’ble Minister of State for Finance on the 27th
of January 2020, the day after the 71st Republic Day 2020.
I was fortunate and lucky enough
that my spouse, Krishnamachari Srinivasan, Assistant Commissioner, Goods &
Service Tax, Chennai North Commissionerate, Chennai is one of the 46
Presidential awardees who had been selected under the category of “extraordinary
devotion to duty and specially distinguished record of service” for the year
2019. He is being bestowed with this
award for his meritorious service in propagating and elucidating GST throughout
the length and breadth of India since its initiation in the year 2018. Incidentally, GST was rolled out on the 1st
July, 2017.
The pomp and splendour with which the
entire Investiture Ceremony panned out has to be seen to be believed. It all started in December 2019 when the
Notification was issued publishing the names of the 46 personnel who have been
selected for receiving the prestigious Presidential Award for distinguished
service during the year 2019. And was I
delighted to find my spouse’s name there !!!!!!!!!!!!! We all went up in raptures at the very
prospect of him being honoured in the name of the First Person of India, the
President. And more so since he superannuated
from service in the month of May 2020.
He was extremely lucky to be at the right place at the right time with
the right persevering attitude.
I would like to recount the entire
process since the Government of India has been extremely respectful and
reverential from the minute we landed at the Indira Gandhi International Airport
on the 24th January 2020 till we boarded the flight back to Chennai
on 27th January 2020. This
respect and reverence applies to each and every single one of the 46
Presidential awardees and their family members.
We were treated like royalty.
The minute I set foot
on the Indira Gandhi International Airport, New Delhi alongwith my spouse
Srinivasan Krishnamachari, there was a Protocol Officer there waiting to
receive the awardee with a name board and a sedan. We were then driven to the most elegant Hotel
for our stay. After we had rested and
refreshed ourselves, he was back to accompany us and show us round our
prestigious Capital and its important spots.
Since the 71st Republic Day 2020 was just round the corner,
the entire New Delhi was all decorated and adorned with zeal, patriotism and of
course, the Tricolour everywhere. What a
spectacle of devotion and patriotism to our great Motherland India. None can surpass us Indians in patriotism !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
The great saint
Thiruvalluvar had carved out this couplet in no time. However, I was witness to the perseverance,
labour, devotion and ceaseless work that my spouse put in to make this couplet
come true in his own life.
Mr.Srinivasan
Krishnamachari is an Assistant Commissioner of GST since 2014. In his career spanning over 36 years, he has
been honoured with any number of awards and medals for his excellent
performance. Goods and Service Tax was
rolled out on the 1st July 2017.
Through his unfailing interest and perseverance, my husband delved deep
into the myriad clauses and rules underlying the GST reforms. He managed to establish himself as a “Master
Trainer”of the GST reforms. Till date,
he has managed to train and impart knowledge on the intricacies of the ACT to
about 25,000 Central Government officials, Chartered Accountants, ICWAs and
Company Secretaries. He has been the
face of GST and acted as a bridge between the Department and the Trade and Industry
in the successful implementation of GST. He has played a commendable role in
initiating GST awareness through hundreds of his live seminars, Presentations
and articles in both print and electronic media targeting Trade Chambers,
schools, colleges and universities across the state and over AIR and
Doordarshan. Consistent and exceptional performance in diverse fields of work,
role modelling and mentoring officers throughout his career has made him richly
deserve the “Presidential Medal of
Appreciation for specially distinguished record of service, 2019”. He is one among the 46 awardees selected in 2019 out of a total workforce running into a lakh or more throughout India.
Appreciation for specially distinguished record of service, 2019”. He is one among the 46 awardees selected in 2019 out of a total workforce running into a lakh or more throughout India.
A rehearsal for the
actual Investiture Ceremony on 27th January 2020 was slated for the
25th January 2020 at the prestigious Ambedhkar International Centre. Since
the rehearsals went on for nearly two hours, sumptuous tea and snacks had been
arranged for the awardees and their families.
After filling our stomachs, we were again provided with our vehicles to
go site seeing around New Delhi.
The awardees were also provided VIP passes for the Republic Day 2020
parade. The fervour and patriotism with
which each individual there was swelling should be seen to be believed. Entire New Delhi was adorned with a
celebratory mood. We were so overwhelmed
to physically be a part of it. After the
parade, we went around visiting a few friends and various memorable places and
returned home to once again a well planned and executed dinner.
At 9 a.m. on “D”Day, we left for the Ambedhkar International Centre. The
whole Centre had been tastefully and beautifully done up with flower
arrangement and lights. Not only the
awardees, but the families of awardees were provided with a special VIP Bay to
sit and view the proceedings. And watch
it !!!!!!!!!!!!! Every awardee was seated in a separate chair bearing his name
and designation.
The Minister of State for Finance, Shri Anurag
Singh Takkur arrived around 10 a.m. and the proceedings started. The Minister of State, the Chairman, Central
Board of Indirect Taxes, Member (Customs), CBIC (It was International Customs
Day 2020 also) were seated on the dias.
After the welcome address, the Member
(Customs) addressed the gathering bringing out the significance and importance
of Customs role in country. This was
followed by the speeches of the Chairman, CBIC and the Revenue Secretary who
drew out the importance of both GST and the Customs branches in Nation building
activities. This was followed by a meaningful short film titled “Customs and its role in sustainability”. Shri Anuraag Siingh Thakkur then addressed the
gathering. What stood out in his
participation was the fact that inspite of his busy and compelling schedule, he
took time out to happily celebrate the awardees. And his speech was candid and
simple but drawing out and appreciating all the intricate details and nuances
of both GST and Customs.
Soon after his address, the first three
awardees were from J & K and North East Provinces where they had performed
life saving feats at risk of their own lives.
Then came the Presidential Award Winners of GST and Central Excise. As each awardee’s name was announced, you could
see his achievements and feats and excellence pan out as a documentary behind
him on the screen till his exit after receiving the award.
When my spouse, Krishnamachari Srinivasan’s
name was announced, my ecstatic daughter let out a loud cheer. After pin drop silence for a minuite, the
entire auditorium erupted into loud cheers and applause. It was indeed an emotional moment. And the
star on the crown was that the hon’ble Minister patiently and smilingly waited
till all the cheers subsided and presented him with the award. I’m mentioning
this incident here because it is a small example of the extra mile that our
Central Government is willing to go to showcase its respect and reverence for those
individuals who are excelling by their sheer hard labour and perseverance.
Once the Investiture Ceremony drew to a close, the
hon’ble Minister, the VIPs, the awardees and their families were escorted to a
VIP enclosure for high tea. The candid
and cheerful countenance and interaction of the Minister with all around and
the casual way in which he smilingly obliged to all photo shoots was refreshing
and exhilarating.
One more interesting detail here is that
both my husband, Mr.Srinivasan and his colleague Shri Srivatsan, Superintendent
(Presidential Medal awardee) were both felicitated by the prestigious and
legendary Delhi Tamil Sangam on the
evening of the memorable Republic Day 2020 for their meritorious achievement in
winning the award and also because both of them were from Tamilnadu.
Another noteworthy aspect is that
all expenditure for transport, accommodation and food for all the 46 Presidential Appreciation for specially
distinguished record of service, 2019 awardees was completely borne by the
Central Government. It was their way of
reflecting their gratitude for the awardees’ service to the nation.
Once all the felicitations and
functions drew to a close, we headed towards the New Delhi Airport only after
profusely thanking the officer Shri Mohit, Inspector who had accompanied us
throughout the four days we were there and ensured that we were comfortable and
happy. At that moment, there was only
joy, happiness and pride dancing in our hearts.
“No
country can excel mine” was the line ringing in my lips and my heart as we
headed back home with pride and a wee bit of arrogance.
The Chennai Edition of “Thinamani” of 28.01.2020 did us doubly
proud by publishing a photo and a half a page n article about all the six Tamil
Nadu Presidential Appreciation Awardees.
My only sadness was that it being
such a prestigious and noble award, it would have given us and the Government great
pride if only it had been presented by the hon’ble President himself. Atleast the hon’ble Finance Minister could
have filled in the gap. That would have raised
the benchmark of not only the award but the Central Government as well. This is my humble opinion.
This is one occasion and incident
that will be etched in our minds and memory forever and for time immemorial.
Comments
Post a Comment