New Delhi: The country’s highest civilian honours Padma Awards have been announced today. For their contributions to art and entertainment industry, Ustad Zakir Hussain has been conferred with Padma Vibhushan while music composer MM Keeravani and actor Raveena Tandon have been conferred with Padma Shri.
Ustad Zakir Hussain is renowned Tabla maestro while Music composer MM Keeravani is famous for composing Oscar-nominated song ‘Naatu Naatu’ from ‘RRR’. Actor Raveena Tandon who has starred in some popular Bollywood films of 1990s.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi congratulated the recipients of the award on his Twitter handle.
Congratulations to those who have been conferred the Padma Awards. India cherishes their rich and varied contributions to the nation and their efforts to enhance our growth trajectory. #PeoplesPadma https://t.co/M6p4FWGhFU
— Narendra Modi (@narendramodi) January 25, 2023
These Awards are conferred by the President at ceremonial functions which are held at the Rashtrapati Bhawan usually around March or April every year. For 2023, the President has approved conferment of 106 Padma awards, including three duo cases (in a duo case, the award is counted as one).
Nineteen of the awardees are women and the list also includes two people from the category of Foreigners/NRI/PIO/OCI and seven posthumous awardees. Padma awards, one of the highest civilian awards of the country, are conferred in three categories, namely, Padma Vibhushan, Padma Bhushan and Padma Shri.
The awards are given in various disciplines or fields of activities – art, social work, public affairs, science and engineering, trade and industry, medicine, literature and education, sports, civil service, etc. ‘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. The awards are announced on the occasion of Republic Day every year.
(With agency inputs)