SHILLONG, Jan 25: Noted historian and academician David R Syiemlieh has been selected to receive the prestigious Padma Shri award for Literature and Education.
Syiemlieh’s nomination was recently approved along with others from across the country.
“I am humbled and elated to have been nominated and will be conferred the Padma Shri in March or April at Rashtrapati Bhawan,” Syiemlieh told The Shillong Times.
Reflecting on the honour, he said, “I believe this recognition is the result of my work for Meghalaya and the history and literature of the North East.” Syiemlieh is a distinguished scholar with several accolades to his name. He has received the Charles Wallace Grant for research in the UK, the India-France Cultural Exchange Grant for research in Paris, and the Senior Fulbright Fellowship for research in the US, where he was affiliated with Notre Dame University.
He served as the president of the North East India History Association (2010–2011) and as the sectional president of the Modern India Section of the Indian History Congress, delivering his address at its 73rd session in Mumbai in 2012. Additionally, Syiemlieh was appointed as a Member of the Union Public Service Commission, New Delhi, by the President of India.
The Padma Awards, conferred by the President of India at ceremonial functions held at Rashtrapati Bhawan, are among the highest civilian honors in the country. The awards are typically presented in March or April.
For 2025, the President has approved a total of 139 Padma Awards, including 7 Padma Vibhushan, 19 Padma Bhushan, and 113 Padma Shri awards.
