Vice President Hamid Ansari today presented the Sree Chithira Thirunal Award 2015 to former Ambassador T P Sreenivasan for his valuable contribution to the nation as a diplomat.
The award has been instituted by Sree Chithira Thirunal Trust in memory of Chithira Thirunal Balarama Varma, the last and most popular Maharaja of the erstwhile Travancore Royal family, and carries a citation with a cash award of Rs one lakh.
Speaking on the occasion, Ansari said the award was an apt recognition of Sreenivasan's multi-faceted talents and years of public service.
Ansari also lauded Balarama Varma's various progressive initiatives such as temple entry proclamation, setting up of educational institutions, undertakings for power generation and starting transport service in public sector.
Sreenivasan, in his acceptance speech, said that he was donating the cash price to the Trust itself to set up an endowment for honouring best teacher of the schools run by the trust every year.
Governor Justice (ret) P Sathasivam, Chief Minister Oommen Chandy and State Health Minister V S Sivakumar were among those present on the occasion.
