Tamil Nadu: Wife of late tribal painter awarded Padma Shri gets government job

Tamil Nadu: District Collector Lakshmi Bhavya Tanneru on Monday ordered a government job for the wife of the late tribal painter who was awarded the Padma Shri.

R. Krishnan (Kidna), a late artist from the Alu Kurumba tribal community of the Nilgiris district, was awarded the Padma Shri on Republic Day 2026. Renowned for his rock painting style, he revived and popularized the Kurumba art form, which had been extinct for 30 years.

Despite the announcement of the Padma Shri award, various newspapers reported that R. Krishnan’s family was living in extreme poverty. Following this, Tamil Nadu Chief Minister M.K. Stalin ordered necessary assistance and basic amenities for the family of the late painter R. Krishnan.

Following this, the Nilgiris District Administration has taken steps to provide a government job to O.V. R. Krishnan’s wife, Susheela, at the Eklavya Boarding and Housing Model School in Muthorai Palata, near Ooty in the Nilgiris district. District Collector Lakshmi Bhavya Thanneru presented a permanent employment order to R. Krishnan’s wife, Susheela, at a function held at the Additional Collector’s Office in Ooty Pinkpost. District Revenue Officer Narayanan, District Adi Dravidian and Tribal Welfare Officer Peter Gnanaraj, and several others attended.

She will receive a monthly salary of ₹32,000, which includes annual salary increments, leave, and other benefits for Tamil Nadu government employees. She has also been provided a government house on the school campus.

Thanks to the efforts of the district administration, her elder daughter, Vasuki, has been granted free education with hostel facilities to pursue a D.Pharm degree at the JSS Pharmacy College in Udayai. She will receive free education until she receives her doctorate.

Similarly, Krishnan and Susheela’s son, Rahul, and daughters, Geeta and Kirthika, were studying in a government school, but now, thanks to the efforts of the district administration, they have been allowed to continue their studies at the Eklavya Model School, which also offers hostel facilities.