Coastal India Recognized With Padma Shri, Not Me: Joe D’Cruz

NEW DELHI (ANI) – After receiving Padma Shri in the field of literature and education, Tamil writer RN Joe D’Cruz said that the award was a pat on his shoulder.

D’Cruz, was conferred with the Padma Shri award at the Rashtrapati Bhavan in the national capital on May 6.

“I am working to create awareness among the people in coastal India so that they also get political awareness, and they also get recognition for their work,” he said.

He refrained from calling the award an achievement. “I don’t work for achievements, I contribute. I contribute to my people. I contribute to coastal India, and we want to remind the Government of India that the area is very well within part of India, and we are citizens of India. So this award is a recognition of the coast,” he said.