The Chandogya Upanishad tells a story where the five senses, the mind, and Prana argue about who is the most important. Each leaves the body one by one—speech, sight, hearing, even the mind—and the body continues to function. But when Prana, the life force, starts to withdraw, everything begins to collapse. The others realize that Prana sustains them all and is supreme. The story reminds us that while the senses and mind are valuable, it’s the life force that holds everything together, just as Brahman, the ultimate reality, is the foundation of all existence.
This story deeply resonates with me, and I was recollecting it after the recent announcement of the Padma awards.
Padma Awards to Wealth Creators
Entrepreneurs and businessmen are classified under the “Trade and Industry” category. The number of awardees each year since this government has been in power is given below:
| Year | Total Padma Awardees | Trade & Industry |
| 2015 | 90 | 1 |
| 2016 | 112 | 8 |
| 2017 | 88 | 0 |
| 2018 | 84 | 1 |
| 2019 | 111 | 3 |
| 2020 | 141 | 8 |
| 2021 | 111 | 5 |
| 2022 | 128 | 4 |
| 2023 | 107 | 1 |
| 2024 | 133 | 3 |
| 2025 | 139 | 9 |
| Total | 1244 | 43 |
The average for the last 11 years is 3.46%, though this year it improved to 6.4%. On an overall basis, the number of recipients is woefully short, especially if you consider the untold and extraordinary value created by hundreds of entrepreneurs across the country.
My proposition is simple: entrepreneurs are wealth creators and the lifeline of the economy. They create employment, pay taxes, and even sustain the running of political parties. Yet, they do not receive the recognition they deserve. If we exclude awards given to those building businesses overseas (e.g., Sundar Pichai, Satya Nadella, John Chambers) and public sector executives, the recognition for private-sector entrepreneurs is even lower.
This is not to diminish the contributions of others. I deeply respect artists who entertain us, teachers who lay the foundation of an educated society, activists who fill gaps where governments cannot, and politicians and bureaucrats for their role in governance. In fact, this government has done a stellar job of recognizing unknown gems from across the country. (We even published a book on some of them https://www.amazon.com/Padma-Bharatis-Ordinary-Extraordinary-Triumphs/dp/819734941X)
But my point isn’t about taking away from these categories—it’s about adding to them. Entrepreneurs, too, deserve recognition. I suspect there’s an inherent bias against recognizing them. Perhaps the constant jibes from the opposition about corruption have made the powers that be overly cautious when considering this category. Or perhaps it’s a larger, systemic issue that transcends this government.
When I looked at the US Medal of Freedom statistics, I found that of the 672 recipients since its inception, it wasn’t clear how many were wealth creators. Maybe this is a global phenomenon.
As an entrepreneur myself, I acknowledge my bias—you can, therefore, take my views as tinted. But I genuinely believe that wealth creators are the Prana of society. Just as Prana sustains the body, entrepreneurs sustain the economy and contribute to nation-building. They, too, deserve their due recognition.
I am personally close to and have learned from at least 10 entrepreneurs who I believe are worthy of this recognition. I do wish the situation changes and they, along with others, get their due recognition.
Hari’s Curries
A Buffet of Reflections