A number of recipients of the prestigious Padma Awards announced on Republic Day were conferred with the honour on Tuesday. Music composer Illaiyaraja, Hindustani classical singer Ghulam Mustafa Khan, Hindutva thinker P Parameswaran, Kerala Bishop Philipose Mar Chrysostom among others received the award from President Ram Nath Kovind.
The government kept its promise of honouring ‘unsung heroes’ by honouring several personalities who served the poor, set up free schools, and popularised tribal arts globally.
They were among the 43 prominent personalities who were given the prestigious Padma awards.
Vice-President M Venkaiah Naidu, Prime Minister Narendra Modi and his ministerial colleagues, and several other dignitaries attended the function at the Rashtrapati Bhavan.
This year, as 84 Padma awards were announced. The list comprises three Padma Vibhushan, nine Padma Bhushan and 72 Padma Shri awards.
The awards — Padma Vibhushan, Padma Bhushan and Padma Shri — are announced on the eve of the Republic Day every year.
They are given in different fields and disciplines such as art, literature and education, sports, medicine, social work, science and engineering, public affairs, civil service, trade and industry.
The remaining awardees 2018 will be conferred with the honour at another function to be held on April 2.
The other Padma Shri awardees include internationally-acclaimed Gond artist Bhajju Shyam, who is known for depicting Europe through Gond paintings, a tribal style of painting of Madhya Pradesh; Somdev Kishore Devvarman, Indian tennis player who became the only collegiate player to have made three consecutive finals at the National Collegiate Athletic Association; and Subhasini Mistry, a poor woman from rural West Bengal who toiled 20 years as housemaid and daily labourer to build a hospital for poor in the state.
A TOTAL OF 84
- This year as many as 84 Padma awards were announced including two duo cases.
- The list comprises 3 Padma Vibhushan, 9 Padma Bhushan and 72 Padma Shri awards.
- The remaining awardees will be conferred with the honour at another function on April 2.
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
 "Ram Nath Kovind")
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
)
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
)
)
)
)
)
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}