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The Padma Awards were announced on Saturday. While Anant Nag, Nandamuri Balakrishna, Pankaj Udhas (Posthumous), Ajith Kumar, Shekhar Kapur, and Shobana, among others, were honoured with Padma Bhushan, Arijit Singh, Barry Godfray John, Jaspinder Narula and Ricky Kej, among others, were bestowed with Padma Shri.
Some other Padma awardees from the field of arts include Kumudini Rajnikant Lakhia, Lakshminarayana Subramaniam, Sharda Sinha (Posthumous), Jatin Goswami, Adwaita Charan Gadanayak, Achyut Ramchandra Palav, Ashok Laxman Saraf, Ashwini Bhide Deshpande, Begam Batool, Bharat Gupt, Bheru Singh Chouhan, Durga Charan Ranbir, Farooq Ahmad Mir, Gokul Chandra Das, Guruvayur Dorai, Harjinder Singh Srinagar Wale, Hassan Raghu, Joynacharan Bathari, K Omanakutty Amma, Madugula Nagaphani Sarma, Mahabir Nayak, Miriyala Apparao (Posthumous), Naren Gurung, Nirmala Devi, P Datchanamoorthy, Pandi Ram Mandavi, Parmar Lavjibhai Nagjibhai, Radhakrishnan Devasenapathy, Ranendra Bhanu Majumdar, Ratan Kumar Parimoo, Shyam Bihari Agrawal, Tejendra Narayan Majumdar, Thiyam Suryamukhi Devi, Vasudeo Kamath, Velu Aasaan and Venkappa Ambaji Sugatekar.
Padma Vibhushan was conferred on renowned Malayalam writer MT Vasudevan Nair who passed away in December last year. MT considered a giant of Malayalam literature, also directed seven films and wrote 45 film scripts. Folk Singer Sharda Sinha, who died last year, was also honoured with the award posthumously. Known for bringing gravitas to folk music, she also lent her voice to a few Hindi film songs.
Among those honored with Padma Bhushan, the third highest civilian award in India, in the field of art are Tamil actor Ajith Kumar, actor and dancer Shobhana Chandrakumar, Telugu actor Nandamuri Balakrishna, Kannada actor Anant Nag, and singer Pankaj Udhas who passed away last year.
Reacting to the Padma honour, Ajith said in a statment, “I am deeply humbled and honoured to receive the esteemed Padma Award by the President of India. I extend my heartfelt gratitude to the Hon’ble President of India, Smt. Droupadi Murmu and the Honourable Prime Minister, Shri Narendra Modi for this prestigious honour. It is a privilege to be recognized at such a level and I am truly grateful for this generous acknowledgment of my contributions to our nation. At the same time, I am mindful that this recognition is not just a personal accolade but a testament to the collective efforts and support of many. I would like to express my sincere thanks to the members of the film industry, including my distinguished seniors, various peers, and untold others. Your inspiration, collaboration, and support have been instrumental in my journey, including the pursuit of my passion in other areas as well. I am also grateful for the kind support, over the years, of the motor racing fraternity and the sports pistol and rifle shooting community. I thank the Madras Motor Sports Club (MMSC), the Federation of Motor Sports Clubs of India (FMSCI), the Sports Development Authority of Tamil Nadu (SDAT), the National Rifle Association of India, and the Chennai Rifle Club for their encouragement of sports and the community of sportspersons.”
He added, “To my family and friends: Your love and support have been both a refuge and source of strength. Thank you! I wish my late father had lived to see this day. Yet, I like to think he would be proud that his spirit and legacy live on in all that I do. I want to thank my mother for her unconditional love and the sacrifices that enabled me to become all that I could be. To Shalini, my wife and companion of nearly 25 wonderful years: Your partnership has been a joy and cornerstone of my success. And to my children, Anoushka and Aadvik: You are my pride and the light of my life, motivating me to set an example for how to do well and live right. Lastly, to all my fans, supporters, and well-wishers: Your unwavering love and support have fueled my passion and dedication. This award is as much yours as it is mine. Thank you all for this incredible honour and for being part of this journey. I am committed to continuing to serve with integrity and passion and wish you all just as well on your own journeys.”
Shekhar Kapur shared his joy on X after receiving the Padma Bhushan. He wrote, “What an honour! Am humbled that the Government of India has considered me to be deserving of a #Padmanbhushan. Hopefully this award will make me strive harder to serve the Industry that I am part of, and the beautiful Nation that I am so fortunate to belong to. Thank you also to our film audiences of India, for I am because you are.”
The Padma Awards are one of the highest civilian honours of India. They are given in three categories: Padma Vibhushan, Padma Bhushan, and Padma Shri. The award seeks to recognize achievements in all fields of activities such as arts, social work, science and technology, literature and education, and medicine, among others.
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