Actor Parthiban honours sanitation worker Padma with emotional gesture

Actor R. Parthiban has drawn widespread appreciation for his moving gesture of respect towards sanitation worker Padma, honouring her for her exceptional honesty in returning gold jewellery found in garbage.
Padma, a sanitation worker, had earlier won praise for handing over 45 sovereigns of gold jewellery she found while on duty, returning it safely to its rightful owner.
In recognition of her integrity, Parthiban honoured her by performing a symbolic pada pooja, touching her feet as a mark of deep respect, and presenting her with footwear and a sari.
Sharing the moment on his X (formerly Twitter) page, Parthiban reflected on the contrast between rising gold prices and declining human values.
He wrote that as the price of gold climbs towards one lakh rupees per sovereign, countless human lives are lost to greed, while Padma’s single act of honesty elevated her as a true example of humanity.
He noted that Padma, who works nearly 360 days a year as a cleaner, returned around 360 grams of gold from garbage, and through that act alone, proved her greatness as a human being.
Parthiban further revealed that he was invited as the chief guest to an event at Ethiraj College.
However, he said he chose to step aside and instead treated Padma as the chief guest. He wrapped her in a sari, placed a crown on her head and honoured her as “World Beauty,” stating that her character made her the most beautiful person in the world.
The actor’s tribute has been widely shared on social media, with many praising both Padma’s honesty and Parthiban’s heartfelt acknowledgment of dignity in labour.