(July 8, 2024) India and France’s strategic relations have reached an all-time high, with 2023 marking 25 years of their partnership. In recognition of French nationals who have significantly contributed to strengthening these ties through their lifetime of service, the Government of India conferred the prestigious Padma Awards upon them in 2024. Global Indian spotlights the four individuals who have uniquely helped build this bond.
Charlotte Chopin
The 101-year-old French yoga instructor has been recognised for her significant contributions to yoga in France and her advocacy for its holistic well-being benefits. Born in Lere, a small town in Cher, France, Chopin began practising yoga at the age of 50. She attributes her longevity and good health to yoga, promoting it as a means to improve quality of life. Shortly after starting her practice, Chopin began teaching yoga and has since taught thousands of students over the past five decades.
Charlotte Chopin receiving award from the President of India
Despite her age, she continues to actively teach and practice yoga at the studio she runs in her hometown. Chopin also conducts workshops across the country. She has showcased her skills on the French TV show ‘France’s Got Incredible Talent’. When PM Modi visited France last year, he remarked, “She never came to India but dedicated her entire life to promoting yoga,” highlighting the universal appeal of the ancient Indian discipline. Chopin visited India for the first time this year to receive the Padma Shri Award from President Droupadi Murmu.
Pierre Sylvain Filliozat
From childhood, the Sanskrit scholar immersed himself in Indian and Sanskrit studies. His father, Jean Filliozat, a renowned Indianist, frequently visited Pondicherry with young Pierre, sparking his interest in the ancient Indian language. Pierre earned diplomas in Hindi from the National School of Modern Oriental Languages and in Sanskrit from the Practical School of Advanced Studies in Paris. He has served as a member of the French School of the Far East and as the director of Sanskrit studies at the Practical School of Advanced Studies in Paris.
Pierre Sylvain Filliozat
In 2015, the then President of India, Pranab Mukherjee, presented him with the ‘Letter of Recognition for Skill in Sanskrit Letters and Erudition in Science,’ acknowledging his contributions to Sanskrit language and literature. The French Sanskrit professor is married to Indian academic Dr Vasundhara Kavali and spends substantial time in India each year at his home in Mysore, Karnataka. “There is no language as beautiful and as accessible as Sanskrit. It is replete with richness and boundless beauty. While Sanskrit Vyakarana may be somewhat demanding, mastering it requires profound interest and dedicated effort,” Dr Pierre Filliozat remarked in an interview.
Fred Negrit
A teacher-linguist, decorated Red Cross resource, and Indologist from the Guadeloupe archipelago in France, Indo-French Fred Negrit is the first person in the French West Indies to receive the Padma Shri Award. He is a fifth-generation descendant of Indian emigrants who moved to the French archipelagos as indentured plantation labourers. Inspired by his grandmother’s interest in India, Negrit has played a significant role in promoting Indian language and culture in the Guadeloupe region.
Fred Negrit receiving award from the President of India
In 2002, he founded the Conseil Guadeloupéen pour les Langues Indiennes (Council for Indian Languages) to institutionalise his two decades of teaching Indian language and culture to a diverse group of learners, ranging from age eight to 80. “In the initial phase, it was important for us to convince people of Indian origin to keep the language of their ancestral roots alive,” he recalls. “These days, our classrooms are diverse, with learners from all walks of life – not just those with Indian connections, but also several foreign nationals exploring Indian language and culture,” he shared in an interview after winning the Padma Shri Award.
Kiran Vyas
Indo-French teacher and yoga guru Dr Kiran Vyas has been teaching yoga and Ayurveda for three decades through his open university in Normandy, northern France, and at a learning centre in Paris. Dr Vyas also holds the position of speaker at the Global Energy Parliament, chairman of GEP France, and is the founder and director of the Tapovan Open University and Ayurvedic Centres in Europe. He is a founding and executive member of the European Council on Ayurveda. The Indo-French yoga guru has led the International Day of Yoga celebrations at the Eiffel Tower, attracting thousands of participants.
Dr Kiran Vyas receiving award from the President of India
Born in Lakhtar, Gujarat, Dr Vyas received his education at the Aurobindo Ashram. His father worked at the Sabarmati Ashram with Mahatma Gandhi, from whom he learned the philosophical principles on yoga and culture, which he later passed on to his son, Dr Kiran Vyas. In 1971, Dr Vyas worked at ISRO while simultaneously founding and directing three experimental schools in Gujarat. He later moved to France, where he served as a permanent representative at UNESCO Paris and was a member of the World Council of INSEA (International Society for Education through Art), a non-governmental organisation. He received the Padma Shri Award from President Droupadi Murmu.
