Will the real Antaryami Mishra please stand up? Two men with same name fight over who was awarded Padma Shri

The Padma Shri, India's fourth-highest civilian award, is given to distinguished individuals for their contributions in the fields of arts, social work, public affairs, science, engineering, medicine, literature, education, sports, and civil service. The list of Padma awardees is announced on the eve of Republic Day every year, and recipients are conferred the honour by the President of India at ceremonial functions held at Rashtrapati Bhawan in March or April each year.

Antaryami Mishra was awarded Padma Shri in 2023

But a Padma Shri award in 2023 has now landed in front of the Odisha High Court after two people with the same name staked a claim for it.

'Shri Antaryami Mishra' from Odisha was named in the list of Padma Shri awardees in 2023 for his contribution to literature and education.

President Droupadi Murmu presents Padma Shri to Dr Antaryami Mishra for Literature & Education. A distinguished Odia litterateur, Dr Mishra has been contributing to the study of Odia language, grammar culture and history for nearly five decades. pic.twitter.com/CzILTH8owe

¡ª President of India (@rashtrapatibhvn) April 5, 2023

Antaryami Mishra, who is a journalist by profession, was honoured with the Padma Shri by President Droupadi Murmu at an event on April 5, 2023, in Delhi.

It was noted that Dr Mishra was awarded for his contributions to the study of the Odia language, grammar, culture, and history.

Dr Antaryami Mishra is an Odia litterateur famous for portraying the Odia language's history & culture. He has been awarded the Padma Shri 2023 for his contributions to the field of Literature & Education.#PeoplesPadma#PadmaAwards2023 pic.twitter.com/nw80b6cdal

¡ª MyGovIndia (@mygovindia) April 5, 2023

Another Antaryami Mishra claims he was the awardee

But trouble started when another person, Dr Antaryami Mishra, a physician, moved the High Court claiming that he was the 'real Dr Mishra'.

According to the complainant, he has authored 29 books in Odia and other Indian languages, leading to his name being included in the Padma Shri awardee list of 2023.

Antaryami Mishra, who received the Padma Shri award from the President, said he is an author of many textbooks and that there was no confusion regarding the name, as he was recommended by several people from Odisha and outside, including former Andhra Pradesh Governor Biswabhusan Harichandan.

CREDIT: PEXALS

What Odisha High Court said

The Odisha High Court, while expressing surprise over the development, noted that the mix-up, which happened despite rigorous verification by the government, raises concerns over the credibility of the selection process.

The HC has also directed both men to produce documents, including all publications and other materials, to substantiate their claim of being the one chosen for the top civilian honour.

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