Hisar, January 20: MLA Randhir Panihar of the Nalwa constituency has written a letter to Haryana Chief Minister Nayab Singh Saini on November 18, 2025, recommending unpaid social worker Yograj Sharma for the Padma Shri award in January 2026. Yograj Sharma has also applied online for the Padma Shri. Earlier, the Deputy Commissioner of Hisar had sent his recommendation to the Chief Secretary, Government of Haryana, through letter number 16483 on August 19, 2025, so that this proposal could be sent to the President's Secretariat with the recommendation of the state government. Yograj Sharma has been doing social service for the last 20 years without any remuneration. He left his regular livelihood as an agent of the Life Insurance Corporation of India (LIC) to work for the welfare of society and sports, especially for the facilities of hockey players and for public interest development works. If he had continued this work, he could have earned approximately Rs. 10 crore in the last 20 years, but he sacrificed this potential income for the benefit of society. His major efforts include the construction of a hockey astroturf ground and stadium in Hisar, an RUB (Road Under Bridge) in Patel Nagar Sector 16/17, and the construction of a road from Government College to Dabda Road. A road project declared "not feasible" by the PWD in 2018 was made "feasible" in 2021 after 38 months of effort, following a letter written to the then Chief Minister Manohar Lal. Similarly, the Hisar-Tosham road, which connects four assembly and two parliamentary constituencies, had been in a dilapidated condition for years; His efforts led to the commencement of its construction.  In addition, he contributed to numerous public welfare projects, both large and small, including the installation of lights on the South Bypass, preventing the relocation of the STC center from Hisar, and addressing issues related to drinking water, sewerage, rainwater drainage, and roads. Yograj Sharma says that while elected representatives in the country receive salaries and pensions, there is no social security or livelihood support scheme for those who, without the backing of an NGO, dedicate themselves to social service by sacrificing their own earnings. He also stated that he was denied the one crore rupees awarded to him as part of the Gandhi Peace Prize by the Ministry of Civil Aviation. Therefore, he believes that the Padma Shri award would be a fitting recognition of his sacrifice, struggles, and long-standing service to society.