‘Gem of Chennai’: Lalithaa Jewellers head felicitates sanitation worker for returning 45 gold coins which she found on road

Lalithaa Jewellers head Kiran Kumar felicitates Chennai sanitation worker for returning 45 gold coins. (Instagram/kirankumar_official)

Lalithaa Jewellers head M Kiran Kumar has publicly recognised the honesty of a Chennai sanitation worker who returned 45 gold coins she had discovered on the road while on duty, drawing widespread attention on social media.

The incident came into focus after Kiran Kumar shared a video on Instagram, introducing Padma, a sanitation worker employed with the Greater Chennai Corporation. In the clip, he described her as a “gem of Chennai” and praised her integrity for immediately handing over the gold coins to authorities instead of keeping them.

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A post shared by Dr.M. Kiran Kumar (@m.kirankumar_official)

In the video, Kumar said Padma had found the coins while cleaning a stretch of road and chose to act with complete honesty. Stressing the importance of recognising such conduct, he remarked that society must protect and honour people who uphold moral values, especially in challenging times.

Padma and her husband were later invited to Kumar’s residence, where he personally welcomed them. The jewellery entrepreneur shared that he hosted the couple, fed them a meal and presented them with gifts as a gesture of respect and gratitude. He also said Padma’s actions went far beyond material value. “What she did cannot be weighed in gold. Choosing honesty over temptation requires immense moral courage today,” he said, adding that it was an honour to celebrate her integrity with her family.

The video quickly triggered an outpouring of reactions online, with many users applauding the sanitation worker’s honesty. One commenter wrote that rewarding integrity was heartening to see, while another said true happiness comes from living an honest life without fear or regret.

Others highlighted the moral lesson behind the incident. “Integrity is often found among those who have the least, yet they choose what is right every day,” a user wrote, urging society to offer dignity, security and care to sanitation workers.

However, a section of social media users also raised questions about whether moral appreciation should be accompanied by financial support. Some commenters expressed hope that Padma would receive a monetary reward or gold as recognition, arguing that respect must also translate into tangible assistance.