Vice President Jagdeep Dhankhar on Tuesday said that there is a transformational change in the Padma Awards as "People's Padma." Dhankar, who was in Guwahati on Tuesday for the conferment of the highest state civil awards--Assam Baibhav, Assam Saurav, and Assam Gaurav--said that the country has now escaped the time when 'part patronage used to be the driving force and event management used to secure Padmas'.

"We have noticed in recent times, there is a transformational change in the Padma Awards to the "People's Padma". We know the days when part patronage used to be the driving force, event management used to secure Padmas. But I see here such a massive, genuine, authentic transformational mechanism for giving awards. Congratulations to those who have done it," the Vice President of India said.