Karnataka Election 2023: Prime Minister Modi's touching gesture, bows before Padma awardees

Both the women gave their blessings to Prime Minister Modi.

A touching gesture was witnessed in poll-bound Karnataka when Prime Minister Narendra Modi was seen bowing before Padma awardees Tulasi Gowda and Sukri Bommagavda at Ankola in Uttara Kannada district.

Both women gave their blessings to Prime Minister Modi.

Tulasi Gowda, a resident of Karnataka, is called the encyclopedia of forests.She worked for over six decades with the Karnataka Forest Department during which she planted and nurtured an estimated one lakh in Karnataka. Prior to that, she worked as a day labourer. This environmentalist has expertise in the extraction of seeds from trees to regenerate a plant species. Her efforts have helped strengthen the government's forest conservation efforts. Tulasi was honoured with the Padma Shri, India's fourth-highest civilian award, in 2021 from then President Ram Nath Kovind. She belongs to the Halakki indigenous tribe in Karnataka.

Sukri Bommagavda is a folk singer from Ankola, Karnataka. Bommagavda was honoured with the Padma award for her efforts to preserve tribal music. Popularly called 'Sukri ajji', this Halakki Vokkaliga tribal woman has a song for every occasion, be it marriage, birth, festivals or rituals. She is also a recipient of several other awards, including an award from the Karnataka government in 1988 for 'preserving the culture of the Aboriginal Tribes'. In 1999, she was honoured with the Janapada Shri Award and in 2006 with the Naduja Award. 

The video of the Prime Minister bowing in respect before the two women is going viral.