Vayoshreshtha Samman is a Scheme of National Awards instituted by the Ministry of Social Justice & Empowerment (D/o Social Justice & Empowerment) initially in 2005 and was upgraded to the status of National Awards in 2013, for institutions involved in rendering distinguished service for the cause of elderly persons especially indigent senior citizens and to eminent citizens in recognition of their service/achievements.
Ministries of Social Justice & Empowerment, Health and Rural Development are running such useful schemes for the welfare of elderly persons.
International Day of Older Persons is observed on 1st of October every year pursuant to the adoption of a resolution by the UN General Assembly to observe the year 1999 as the International Year of Older Persons with the theme, “a society for all ages”.
The Ministry has been conferring “Vayoshrestha Samman” every year on this day since 2005, to eminent citizens and institutions in recognition of their outstanding services to the elderly people, especially indigent senior citizens.
The “Vayoshrestha Samman” was elevated to the level of national awards in 2013 under 13 categories and this is the second year in which these national awards are being conferred.
2016 “Vayoshrestha Samman” Awardees List:
| Category of National Award | Name of the Institution/individual |
| Best institution for research in the field of
Ageing. |
1. Geriatric Care & Research Organisation
(GeriCaRe),130, Ratnakar Bag, Bhubaneswar. 2. National Institute of Mental Health and Neuro Sciences (NIMHANS), (An Institute of National Importance under the Ministry of Health & Family Welfare, Government of India) Hosur Road, Bengaluru, Karnataka-560 029. |
| Best institution for providing services to the senior citizens and awareness generation | 1. Aastha Centre for Geriatric Medicine,
Palliative Care Hospital, Hospice & Social Welfare Society, B-52, J-Park, Mahanagar, Lucknow, Uttar Pradesh – 226 006.
2. Janaseva Foundation, Indulal Complex, First Floor, Above Rupee Bank, Lal Bahadur Shastri Road, Navi Peth, Pune-411 030, Maharashtra. |
| Best District Panchayat in providing services and facilities to senior citizens | Zilla Panchayat, Jhabua, Madhya Pradesh, DRDA, Collectorate, Indore-Ahmedabad Road, Jhabua, Madhya Pradesh-457 661. |
| Best urban local body in providing services and facilities to senior citizens | Municipal Corporation, Rewa (Nagar Nigam, Rewa) Madhya Pradesh |
| Best state in implementing the maintenance and welfare of parents and senior citizens act, 2007 and providing services and facilities to senior citizens | KARNATAKA
(Department for the Empowerment of Differently Abled and Senior Citizens) |
| Best public sector organisation in promoting the well being and welfare of senior citizens | Bhilai Steel Plant, Steel Authority of India Limited (SAIL) Ispat Bhawan, Bhilai, Chhattisgarh-490 001. |
| Centenarian | 1. Dr. H. Sreenivasaiah, 102/12, Sreenivasa Apartment, Dr. H. Sreenivasaiah Road (6th Cross), Malleshwaram, Bangalore, Karnataka.
2. Dr. Daram Nagabhushanam, H.No.2-3-105, Boiwada, Karimnagar,Telangana. 3. Shri Nurul Huda,South Amolapatty, P.O Mohonaghat, Dibrugarh, Assam. |
| Iconic mother | Smt. Mankabai Akaram Yadav P.O. Renavi, Teh: Khanapur, District Sangli, Maharashtra. |
| Lifetime achievement | 1. Ms. Urmil Kumari Founder and Life Patron
Sai Birdh Ashram, Village Charura, Patiala-147002, Punjab.
2. Dr. Anil Kumar Chaturvedi, A-3/305, Ekta Gardens-9, IP Extension, Delhi-92. |
| Creative art | 1. Shri Jagannath Behera, Village Katijanga, P.O. Erasama, District Jagatsinghpur, Odisha.
2. Shri Moti Lal Kemmu, 5 Apna Vihar, Kunjwani, Jammu, Jammu & Kashmir |
| Sports & adventure | 1. Dr. (Miss) Bhagwati M.Oza, Oza Surgical Hospital, BOI Lane, Subhanpura Road, Vadodara, Gujarat.
2. Capt. (Retd) Gurjiwan Singh Sidhu Poohla House, 2155, Sector 35-C, Chandigarh. |
