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MORE than two years after his death, beloved radio personality and singer Anil "The Vocalist" Bheem may soon be honoured for his contributions to local culture.
Speaking at Indian Arrival Day celebrations on June 7 at the Couva South Multipurpose Hall, Public Utilities Minister and Couva South MP Barry Padarath announced that he plans to nominate Bheem for a national award.
Padarath is also Minister in the Office of the Prime Minister
Bheem, who died at the age of 48, was known for his powerful voice, hit songs, and influence in promoting local and Indo-Caribbean music.
"Anil did not just contribute to culture, he contributed to the development of young East Indian people in this country," Padarath said.
Padarath spoke at the event held in collaboration with his office, the Orange Valley Vishnu Mandir, and the St Andrews Street Youth, Sport and Cultural Group.
Organisers said the event commemorated 180 years since the arrival of East Indians in Trinidad and Tobago, celebrating the strength, legacy, and contributions of their ancestors through music, dance, tassa, and other cultural expressions.
[caption id="attachment_1018032" align="alignnone" width="576"] Anil Bheem. -[/caption]
Bheem died on February 4, 2023.
Padarath said when Bheem died, Prime Minister Kamla Persad-Bissessar, as opposition leader, called for him to be posthumously awarded one of the country's national honours for his cultural contributions.
He claimed this was not done "out of spite and malice."
The minister highlighted the contributions of the East Indian community in various fields, including politics, law, medicine, and both community and national development.
Padarath said Persad-Bissessar is TT's first female Prime Minister and of East Indian descent and now serves another term.
He also said that the late Basdeo Panday was the only other person of East Indian descent to hold the office of prime minister, though only for a single term.
"What Mr Panday was unable to do, Mrs Persad-Bissessar was able to complete. She was able to take a party, a party that came out of the bowels of the sugarcane movement, from the labour movement and despite spending ten torturous years in opposition, she never gave up."
Padarath called on citizens to do their part in helping to improve the country amid challenges in TT.
He cited the proverb, "God helps those who help themselves."
"As our Prime Minister has said, while we identify those challenges to you, we will not spend our time complaining, but we will spend our time trying to fix the problems. We are giving you the commitment that we will fix it," Padarath said.
"Therefore, we are asking you to do your part. Work with us, whether it is in the community, in the constituency, in the nation at large, regardless of the sphere of national development."
Padarath charged that people should not sit idly by and be unwilling to lend a hand.
He added, "You can choose to sit down and complain, or you can choose to become part of the solution."
The post Anil Bheem may be honoured with national award, says minister appeared first on Trinidad and Tobago Newsday.