By Chandan Singh | Page 3 News Worldwide | New Delhi
New Delhi: Union Minister of State for Agriculture Bhagirath Chaudhary on Wednesday conferred the Atal Awards 2025 at a ceremony organised by the Atal Foundation at New Maharashtra Sadan, Kasturba Gandhi Marg. The event was held to honour the life, ideals and legacy of former Prime Minister and Bharat Ratna Atal Bihari Vajpayee.
The Atal Shree 2025 and Atal Samman Samaroh 2025 brought together public representatives, social leaders and award recipients to recognise service and contributions across sectors, reflecting Vajpayee’s values of integrity, public service and inclusive development.
Among those present were Geeta Shakya, Member of Parliament; Avinash Rai Khanna, former MP and former Chairman of the Indian Red Cross Society; and Aparna Singh, National President of the Atal Foundation. Social leader Ashok Agarwal also attended the event. Spiritual leader and former Miss World Tourism India Ishika Taneja was present as a special guest. Ambassador for World Peace at the United Nations, Dr Parvinder Singh, also joined the programme.
Addressing the gathering, Chaudhary said the Atal Foundation’s work reflects a deep commitment to social responsibility, inclusion and dialogue. He noted that through initiatives in education, health and community development, the Foundation is making a meaningful contribution to empowering people and strengthening the social fabric of the country.
Awards were presented in four categories. The Atal Ratna Award was conferred on Avinash Rai Khanna and Ankit Rathi. The International Atal Award was presented to nine recipients for contributions with global impact. In addition, 20 individuals received the Atal Shree Award, while 11 were honoured with the Atal Gaurav Award for sustained work in public service and social development.
Speaking on the occasion, Aparna Singh said Atal Bihari Vajpayee’s ideals continue to inspire the Foundation’s work. She said every initiative seeks to uphold his vision of inclusive development, social harmony and service-driven leadership.
