New Delhi, April 28 (H.S.): President Droupadi Murmu awarded the Padma Awards to 71 individuals for their exceptional contributions across diverse fields during the initial phase held at the Republic Hall of Rashtrapati Bhavan on Monday. This ceremony recognized 4 Padma Vibhushan, 10 Padma Bhushan, and 57 Padma Shri recipients, with the remaining 68 awards to be conferred next month. Notable awardees included the late former Bihar Deputy Chief Minister Sushil Kumar Modi, singer Pankaj Udhas, former Suzuki Motor chief Osamu Suzuki, and filmmaker Shekhar Kapur.

Among the Padma Vibhushan recipients, M.T. Vasudevan Nair of Kerala was honored posthumously for his contributions to literature and education, with the award accepted by his daughter. Likewise, Osamu Suzuki was posthumously acknowledged for his impact on trade and industry, receiving the award on behalf of his son. Dr. Duvvur Nageshwar Reddy from Telangana was recognized for his medical contributions, while Karnataka’s L. Subramaniam was honored for his achievements in arts and music.

In the Padma Bhushan category, Sushil Kumar Modi was celebrated posthumously for his public service contributions, received by his wife. Pankaj Udhas was awarded for his impact in arts and music, and Nandamuri Balakrishna for his contributions to arts and film. Vinod Kumar Dham from the USA was acknowledged for his scientific achievements, while others recognized included film personalities like Shekhar Kapur and S. Ajith Kumar.

The Padma Shri awards highlighted notable individuals such as Shyam Bihari Agarwal in painting, Sheikh Aje Al Sabah in yoga therapy, and Dr. K. Damodaran in culinary arts. This year, a total of 139 Padma awards were announced, celebrating excellence in fields like art, public service, medicine, literature, and sports.

Hindusthan Samachar / Jun Sarkar