Sudhir Gadgil honoured with Puneri pagadi, a citation and Rs 1 lakh.
Terming the choice for this year’s Punyabhushan award as apt, Union minister Sharad Pawar on Sunday said that noted compere and interviewer Sudhir Gadgil has served the Marathi speaking population not only from Maharashtra, but also from across the country and world.
He was speaking after presenting the 25th Punyabhushan award to Gadgil. Melody queen Asha Bhosle and Pawar felicitated Gadgil with the award which comprises a memento, Puneri headgear (pagadi) and Rs1 lakh.
Freedom fighters Narayan Balwant Surase, Chhaganlal Khivraj Unecha, Balkrishna Dattatray Mirajkar, Chandrakant Keshavrao Paigude and Ganpat Dagdu Gaikwad were felicitated. Veteran broadcaster Amin Sayani had sent his recorded audio-visual wishes to Gadgil, which was screened.
City mayor Vaishali Bankar, award selection committee chairman Mohan Dharia, Punyabhushan Foundation president Satish Desai, Gajendra Pawar and Hirabhai Chokhawala were present on the dais.
Referring to Gadgil as a pioneer in making the field of compering as a career, Pawar said Gadgil passed the examination of conducting an interview when he successfully interviewed vocalist Kishoritai Amonkar. He said Gadgil has presence of mind, which can be compared to the late Acharya Atre and has conducted more than 3,200 public interviews.
Gadgil said it was curiosity about the people that attracted him to the profession. He said he would start counselling through his Shabda Foundation to increase interpersonal and intra-family communication, which was on a decline nowadays. He said journalism showed him the importance of references, reading and skill of communication, which ultimately landed him in his profession. With the advent of hundreds of TV channels, there was a need for good communicators and young generation can take it up as a career.
Asha bowled over
Melody Queen Asha Bhosle interviewed Gadgil by saying, “You always ask difficult questions to others, now it’s my turn.” He was asked who was his favourite, Lata Mangeshkar or Asha Bhosle. He said, “I have respect for one (Lata) and respect with affection for the other (Asha).”
Wrestling pit for MPs
Ganpat Gaikwad from Valhe village in Purandar said freedom fighters like him were dismayed when in Parliament MPs rush to the well of the House and create pandemonium. He urged Pawar to set up a wrestling pit for the MPs.” Pawar said the people of the country had always shown the way.
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