Tamil Nadu government has honoured Dr Shanthi Ranganathan with its ‘Avvaiyaar Award’ for 2015. She has been honored for her contribution in rehabilitating persons addicted to alcohol and helping their families for over three decades. Chief Minister J Jayalalithaa gave away the award to Ranganathan.

The Padmashri recipient is the Honorary Secretary of TT Ranganathan Medical Research Centre, TTK Hospital and Swami Dayananda Saraswathi Educational Society. Ranganathan was honoured with the ‘Avvaiyar Award,’ for her 33 years contribution towards rehabilitating persons addicted to liquor and their families. She was presented with a cash reward of Rs one lakh, 8 gm gold medal and a certificate.

The award was constituted in 2012 by the government on the occasion of International Women’s Day to recognise women for their contribution in the areas of social reforms, communal harmony, women’s development, culture and journalism among others.

Who is Avvaiyaar?

• Avvaiyar was a prominent female poet/ethicist/political activist of Sangam period.
• She wrote 59 poems in the Purananuru,
• The Attichudi  is a collection of single-line quotations written by Avvaiyar and organized in alphabetical order