Maharashtra government forwards proposal for Padma Vibhushan to Khashaba Jadhav

The Maharashtra Government has informed the Bombay High Court that it has sent a proposal for the Padma Vibhushan award to Khashaba Dadasaheb Jadhav, the 1952 Olympic bronze medallist. The Government also said it would send a proposal for the Padma Awards 2027 before the nomination deadline of July 31.

A Bench of Justices Madhav Jamdar and Pravin Patil of the High Court’s Kolhapur bench had last month asked the Centre and the State government to decide on the conferment of the Padma Vibhushan to Jadhav after his death. On May 7, the Court accepted the State government’s submission and posted the matter for further hearing on June 30.

The Court was hearing a public interest litigation filed by the Kusteeveer Khashaba Jadhav Foundation, founded by Jadhav’s son Ranjeet. The PIL sought a direction to the Ministry of Home Affairs (Padma Awards Cell) to consider the foundation’s representation for the award.

Jadhav, who died in 1984, won the bronze medal at the Helsinki Olympic Games in 1952. He was given the Arjuna Award after his death in 2001. The PIL said the wrestler’s family had submitted several representations to the government. After no response, the foundation moved the High Court.