New Delhi:Former Chief Justice of India J.S. Khehar, former chief of Suzuki Motor late Osamu Suzuki, Ram temple architect Chandrakant Sompura, folk singer late Sharda Sinha and hockey player P.R. Sreejesh are among 139 Padma awardees announced on the eve of the 76th Republic Day on Saturday.
The highest civilian honours of the country announced by the government include seven Padma Vibhushan, 19 Padma Bhushan and 113 Padma Shri decorations.
Bollywood singer Arijit Singh, former AIIMS and SGPGI director A.K. Mahapatra, Marathi actor Ashok Laxman Saraf, noted theatre artist Barry Godfray John, Punjabi singer Jaspinder Narula have been awarded with Padma Shri.
Publisher of Tamil daily Dinamalar Lakshmipathy Ramasubbaiyer has been awarded Padma Shri for literature, education and journalism.
Former CJI Justice Jagdish Singh Khehar (Retd), Chairman of Asian Institute of Gastroenterology and AIG Hospitals D. Nageshwar Reddy, Kathak dancer from Gujarat Kumudini Rajnikant Lakhia, violinist Lakshminarayana Subramaniam have been awarded Padma Vibhushan, the statement said.
Former chief of the Suzuki Motor Corporation Osamu Suzuki, folk singer Sharda Sinha and author M.T. Vasudevan Nair have been awarded Padma Vibhushan posthumously.
Former Bihar Deputy chief minister Sushil Modi, economist Bibek Debroy, gazal singer Pankaj Udhas have been given Padma Bhushan posthumously.
Telugu superstar Nandamuri Balakrishna also known as Balayya, film-maker Shekhar Kapur and former hockey goalkeeper P.R. Sreejesh have been given the Padma Bhushan.
Former Maharashtra chief minister and Lok Sabha Speaker Manohar Joshi has been given the Padma Bhushan posthumously.
Former SBI chairperson Arundhati Bhattacharya, recently-retired cricketer R Ashwin, vice chancellor of Lucknow's KGMU Soniya Nityanand and industrialist Pawan Goenka have been given Padma Shri.
The President has also awarded 30 Padma Shri to unsung heroes that includes 100-year old Libia Lobo Sardesai, who played an important role in Goa's freedom movement. She cofounded an underground radio station — 'Voz da Liberdabe (Voice of Freedom)' — in a forested area in 1955 to rally people against the Portuguese rule.
Wildlife researcher and Marathi author Maruti Bhujangrao Chitampalli (92), who gave unique dictionaries on birds, animals and trees; 68-year-old bhajan singer Batool Begum from Jaipur; percussionist Velu Aasaan (58) from Tamil Nadu, who is standardising and reviving traditional Parai Isai artform, are also among the Padma Shri awardees.
Togalu Gombeyaata (leather puppetry) master puppeteer Bhimavva Doddabalappa Shillekyathara, who was one of the first women to practise the art form, has also been awarded Padma Shri.
The 96-year old "Grandmother of Gombeyaata" mastered the art just 14 and has performed in more than 12 countries.
Lavjibhai Nagjibhai (64), a Tangaliya weaver from Dangasia community in Surendranagar Parmar; Vijayalakshmi Deshamane, a veteran oncologist from Kalaburgi who provides free treatment to poor cancer patients; and Chaitram Devchand Pawar, who conserved 400 hectare of forest in Maharashtra, are also among the unsung heroes who have been given the coveted Padma Shri.
Pandi Ram Mandavi, a traditional tribal musician and the creator of bamboo wind whistle called 'Sulur' or 'Bastar flute', is also amoing the Padma Shri awardees.
Tamil actor S. Ajith Kumar, veteran archaeology Kailash Nath Dikshit, chairperson of the Zydust Life Sciences Pankaj Patel, veteran journalist Ram Bahadur Rai, dancer Shobana Chandra Kumar were awarded Padma Bhushan.
The awards are given in various disciplines and fields such as art, social work, public affairs, science and engineering, trade and industry, medicine, literature and education, sports and civil service among others.
Padma Vibhushan is awarded for exceptional and distinguished service; Padma Bhushan for distinguished service of high order and Padma Shri for distinguished service in any field.
