Public Service Media (PSM) celebrated a significant achievement on Tuesday as two of its long-serving employees, Ali Saleem, Manager of Projects, and Aishath Hanee, Assistant Manager, were recognised with the prestigious National Public Service Award during the annual Republic Day ceremony.
The award honours individuals who have demonstrated exemplary dedication through decades of continuous service to the state.
Ali Saleem, who received the award for his 37-year tenure, has a career rooted in both technical and broadcast fields. He began his government service as an Air Traffic Control Officer Trainee at the Civil Aviation Authority, later transitioning to broadcasting when he joined Television Maldives (TVM) on 19 June 1989. Over the years, Ali Saleem held various key technical and operational roles, including Assistant Manager, Broadcast Operations, and later Manager Technical Operations at PSM.
Joining him as an award recipient was Assistant Manager, Aishath Hanee, whose state service spans 36 years. Aishath Hanee first entered government service on 18 September 1989, starting as a Secretary at the Ministry of Education. Her career path saw her take on progressively senior administrative roles across various national media institutions, including MNBC, MBC, and now PSM, where she has served as Senior Administrator and Senior Officer.
The two PSM members were among 97 distinguished individuals recognised at the ceremony. All recipients honoured this year fall into the category of those who have served the state for between 35 and 39 years, underscoring the remarkable longevity and commitment demonstrated by the PSM duo.
Earlier this year, during the Independence Day ceremony, the same award was conferred upon 94 individuals for over 40 years of public service.
During the ceremony, the President’s Award for Special Achievement was also conferred to 33 individuals for exceptional accomplishments in their respective fields.
This year saw 90 applications, but a rigorous selection process determined only 33 candidates were eligible. The criteria focused heavily on academic and professional excellence within the National Qualifications Framework (NQF) - eight recipients were honoured for achieving outstanding accomplishment by obtaining the NQF Level 10 qualification, while another 23 received the distinction for attaining the highest marks at Levels 7, 8, or 9.
Adding to this distinguished group, two individuals were specially recognised for securing the highest accolades in international competitions or for receiving major international awards. In acknowledgement of their exemplary contributions, the President personally presented each recipient with a commemorative plaque and a badge of honour, symbolising the nation’s highest gratitude.
Additionally, President Dr Muizzu also presented a commemorative plaque to Dr Aminath Zahir, the first recipient of a Doctor of Philosophy degree in the field of Applied Linguistics in Dhivehi.
Dr Aminath Zahir received this honour in recognition of her groundbreaking achievement in attaining the first doctorate in Dhivehi within the field of Applied Linguistics from Maldives National University. Her research focuses on identifying strategies for the advancement of the Dhivehi language.