new delhi the padma award committee seems to have goofed up big time it has conferred the padma shri to hashmat ullah khan of jammu kashmir for being a master craftsman of the rare kani shawls but it now transpires that khan is no craftsman he is an exporter of shawls who is said to be currently on a business trip abroadwhats more the omar abdullah government never recommended khans name said a senior jk official the states general administration department has not sent this name for the award on behalf of the government it is this department thats responsible for sending in namesits learnt that khan was first recommended for a padma shri under the art culture and literature categorylater it was said that he was actually in the craftmen category said another state official he may have been awarded for pioneering work done in promoting handicraft but he cannot be described as a craftsman not by any stretch he added its possible some nongovernment organisation may have recommended his name but thats a sorry reflection on how the padma awards are givenwhen hashmat ullah khans name was announced for the padma award there was a hunt for him in srinagar the media finally reached a person by the same name a retired vicechancellor of sherekashmir university of agricultural sciences and technology in jammu he however clarified that he was neither a litterateur nor a craftman nor has he got any intimation about the award meanwhile the exporter khan has sent out press releases to newspapers drawing attention to his shawl shop in moti bazar chandni chowk