Ramayan’s Sita Denies Asking For Padma Award From Government

On  Wednesday  the nation woke  up to Ramayan’s  favourite Sita  , Dipika Chiklia  being quoted  in a Hindi daily,  “अगर मोदी सरकार को लगता है क‍ि ‘रामायण’ ने संस्‍कृति में योगदान द‍िया है तो हमें पद्म सम्मान से सम्‍मानित करें(if  the Modi government  feels  that  Ramayan has  contributed  to India  culture then we  should be honoured  with  the  Padma award).”

On  hearing this statement there  was  a widespread  hue and cry among the fans  and  well wishers  of  the serial.

A  union minister on oath  of anonymity observed,  “I’ve  never heard  of an artiste  lobbying  for his or her own  Padma award. Let  the  Government  decide whom it wants  to honour.”

In a startling twist to  the controversy  Dipika completely  denied having lobbied  for her own Padma.

“I  never said  that  I should be given the Padma award. People are twisting my words. The  topic (of  getting the Padma award) never  came to me. It  was  directed at Arun Govil only. I  was asked   about the  royalty from the latest telecast  of  Ramayan. And  yes, I did say we should get royalty. It was Arunji who spoke  about the Padma awards, and that  too because he was asked about it,” says  Dipika  in an exclusive  chat with me.