Padma being honoured by People’s Awareness Forum’s founder V. Santhanam (right) and Dr. S. Muthukumar, Parvathi Ortho Hospital at an event in Chrompet on January 25, 2026.
| Photo Credit: Special Arrangement
The People’s Awareness Forum (Makkal Vizhippunarvu Sangam) on January 25 honoured S. Padma (48), a sanitary worker from Krishnampet, for her honesty after she returned a bag containing about 45 sovereigns of gold jewellery found while on duty in T. Nagar recently.
On January 11, Ms. Padma handed over the bag to the Pondy Bazaar police with the help of her supervisor, enabling it to be returned to its rightful owner. Chief Minister M.K. Stalin later acknowledged her act and presented her with a cheque for ₹1 lakh.
Forum convenor Santhanam said the decision to honour her was driven by the values she represented. “Despite financial hardship, she chose honesty. If such people are not recognised, something is wrong with our societal mindset,” he said.
A similar incident involving Ms. Padma’s family was recalled at the event. About five years ago, her husband Subramani, an autorickshaw driver, had returned an unclaimed bag containing around ₹1 lakh to the police.
The event was held at Parvathi Hospital, with its chairman, Dr. S. Muthukumar, as the chief guest. Dr. Muthukumar and the forum felicitated Padma with a cash award and a shield.
Separately, on Republic Day, the forum honoured Sreedhar Iyer, for voluntarily cleaning a burial ground at Pallavaram, which he makes it as a routine service.
A spiritual psychologist present at the event said that while honesty among the affluent was often taken for granted, acts of integrity by those facing economic hardship carried deeper moral weight. Such gestures, he said, lent meaning to everyday life and served as a powerful reminder to society — particularly younger generations — that values need not be shaped by wealth.
Published – February 03, 2026 12:26 pm IST
