Padma Shri Tea Seller D. Prakash Rao
D. Prakash Rao is one of the three individuals from Odisha who received the honour this year. The tea-seller teaches around 70-80 children in the age group of 4-9 years from the economically weaker category every year. He considers Narendra Modi’s praise as his biggest achievement in life.
Devarapalli Prakash Rao was conferred with the Padma Shri for his contributions in the field of social work. Mr.Rao is one of the three individuals from Odisha who received the honour this year. The tea-seller from Cuttack teaches around 70-80 children in the age group of 4-9 years from the economically weaker category every year. According to him, Hon’ble Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s praise as his biggest achievement in life.
Devarapalli Prakash Rao is from Buxi Bazar area of the Silvercity of India, Cuttack. He is an elderly man who runs a tea stall. According to article published on various news portals, Mr.Rao was at a hospital on Saturday (January 25) when he got the biggest surprise of his life. The time was around 11:30 pm when he was informed via a phone call from Delhi that the government had conferred him with the fourth-highest civilian award in India, the Padma Shri, for his contributions in the field of social work.
He said that “Yesterday at around 11:30 pm, I got a call from Delhi saying that I am being conferred with the fourth-highest civilian award, the Padma Shri. I don’t deserve such a big award, but if people want this award for me, it will be an inspiration for others,”.
D. Prakash Rao is one of the three individuals from Odisha who received the honour this year. It is a huge achievement for a tea-seller who was forced to quit school before passing class 10 due to poverty. He subsequently inherited his father’s tea stall and has been running it ever since.
However, the 59-year-old is no ordinary tea-seller. Awarded Padma Shri for his efforts to boost affordable education, he has a strong command over 8 different languages and uses his knowledge to help children from poorer sections of the society.
When Prime Minister Narendra Modi met him during a visit to Cuttack in 2018, he was touched by Rao’s initiative. The prime minister even mentioned his name during a Maan Ki Baat’ address, where he praised him for taking up such an important initiative.
It is also mentioned that he considers Narendra Modi’s praise as his biggest achievement in life. PM Modi has recognized my Contribution to society, that’s my biggest achievement. The humble tea-seller, who has also been an active blood donor since 1976, hopes that his award will be a lesson for millions of youth in the nation.
It will be a lesson to youth who dream of becoming big personalities. If you put in your best efforts continuously on doing your duty, the world will recognize you one day, he concluded.
