Mangaluru (TOI): India needs blessings of seers like Sri Vidyadhiraj Tirtha Sripad Vader swami to fulfill Prime Minister Narendra Modi's resolve to create an equitable society sans poverty, said Suresh P Prabhu, Union minister of railways. India is passing through various challenges and the PM has taken up a resolve to ensure that every Indian leads a life of honour. This is possible only with the divine blessings of people who have made supreme personal sacrifices, he noted.

Responding to GSB Samaj Maharatna award conferred on him by the swami, Suresh Prabhu said the seer has always blessed the GSB community, guided and enlightened their minds with his discourses and advise. "He has sacrificed personal comforts to make life of the community that he heads comfortable," the minister said, recalling how the seer has always guided him.

D Veerendra Heggade, dharmadhikari, Sri Kshetra Dharmasthala, who was bestowed with Samaj Maharatna Puraskar recalled the special relationship that he shares with the swami, who is the head of Sri Samsthan Gokarna Parthagali Jeevotham Mutt, Parthagali, Goa. "The chaste Kannada that Swami speaks is a treat to listen to," he said. Societies will progress only when religious heads keep tabs on everything happening within the community and guide them.

Philanthropist P Dayanand Pai bestowed with GSB Maharatna Puraskar, with his brother P Satish Pai and other family members offered 50 sovereigns of gold to swami to commemorate his golden chaturmas. Incidentally, the Pai brothers had also offered 90 sovereigns of gold to Sri Sudhindhra Tirtha swami, former head of Sri Kashi Math Samsthan, when the GSB community celebrated his 'Navathi' function with pomp and splendour, at Sri Vyas Ashram, Haridwar.

India Post brought out a special cover and postal stamp to mark the occasion. Usha Chandrashekar, chief post master general, Karnataka circle, said the cover and postal stamp that are brought out on special occasions, have great philatelic value and is preserved at the National Philatelic Museum in New Delhi. "It is a truly collector's item," Usha said.

The swami also honoured the minister for heavy and medium industry R V Deshpande with GSB Ratna Puraskar, Union minister of state for AYUSH Sripad Yesso Naik with Samaj Ratna Award, and industrialists Srinivas Dempo, chairman, Dempo Group, Goa and Shivananda Salgaokar, chairman, Salgaokar Group, Goa with GSB Udyog Ratna Puraskar. The awards were conferred as part of the Abhivandana Diwas, the birthday of the swami.

The Suvarna Chaturmas organising committee made a special appeal to Suresh Prabhu to arrange special trains for devotees from various locations who intend to attend the 'shishya sweekar' of Sri Vidyadhiraj Tirtha Sripad Vader swami, at Parthagali Goa. Suresh Prabhu gave his nod to the request.