Padma Awards 2019: Shabbir Sayyad conferred with Padma Shri for protecting cattles in Beed

Beed: The family of Shabbir Sayyad, awarded with Padma Shri for his contribution to the welfare of cows, is overjoyed ever since they received news of the national honour.
55-year-old Sayyad who hails from a village in Beed, the epicentre of drought in Marathwada, has been taking care of his 102-strong cattle herd for decades despite belonging to the traditional butchers’ community.
“My father dreamt about saving cattle. As a child, I also started taking care of cows. Due to a dearth of drinking water and feed for the animals, we face difficulty in looking after them.
There are some people in the village who donate money for the welfare of the animals,” Sayyad told ANI.
Apart from Sayyad, Ramesh Babaji Maharaj from Uttar Pradesh has also been awarded the Padma Shri for his efforts towards the welfare of animals.
Similarly, Saalumarada Thimmakka from Karnataka and Jamuna Tudu of Jharkhand have been awarded the Padma Shri for their laudable work in the field of environmental preservation.