Persistence Pays: Tamil Nadu's Padma Shri Winners Share Their Journey

• Thirvaarur Bakthavatsalam, a 70-year-old mridangam artist, applied multiple times for the Padma Shri, emphasizing persistence and discipline.
• Othuvar Thiruthani Swaminathan, 81, a custodian of sacred hymns, received the award on his second attempt after dedicating 60 years to preserving ancient songs.
• Swaminathan learned 5,000 songs and trained at Thuvaram Patasala in Dharmapuram, run by Dharapuram Adheenam, to master Thevaram and Thiruvasagam.
• Rajastapathi Kaliappa Goundar, a 65-year-old bronze sculptor from Swamimalai, also applied over three times, having cast nearly 4,000 statues.
• Punniamurthy Natesan (ethnoveterinary medicine) and R Krishnan (artist) are other Padma Shri recipients from Tamil Nadu highlighted for their perseverance.

Why It Matters: Unsung heroes from Tamil Nadu demonstrate that persistence and dedication are key to achieving national recognition.