New Delhi: Wipro Chairman Azim Premji,
Planning Commission Deputy Chairperson Montek Singh
Ahaluwalia, former diplomat Brajesh Mishra and Telugu thespian
A Nageshwara Rao were on Tuesday chosen for country`s second
highest civilian award--Padma Vibhushan--this year.
A sprinkling of eminent personalities from Bollywood,
art, literary, sports, trade and industry and civil services
were among the 128 persons chosen for this year`s Padma awards
announced on the eve of Republic Day.
Government made no announcement about Bharat Ratna, the
country`s highest civilian award. Pandit Bhimsen Joshi, who
died yesterday, was the last awardee in this category in 2008.
Hindi film veterans Shashi Kapoor, Waheda Rehman, music
composer Khayyam and playback singer S P Balasubramanyam were
named among the Padma Bhushan awardees. Tabasum Hashmi Khan
alias Tabu and Kajol were chosen in the Padma Shri category.
Former Attorney General and eminent jurist K Parasaran,
art historian Kapila Vatsayan, India`s first woman
photographer Homai Vyarawalla, Malayalam writer O N V Kurup
and Oriya literary personality Sitakant Mohapatra, late
Gandhian L C Jain, former Governor A R Kidwai, Chairperson of
13th Finance Commission Vijay Kelkar, distinguished materials
scientist P Rama Rao are the other personalities chosen for
the Padma Vibhushan award.
In sports, those selected for Padma Shri awards were
cricketer V V S Laxman, weightlifter Kunjarani Devi, wrestler
Sushil Kumar, ace shooter Gangan Narang and discus thrower
Krishna Poonia.
Former foreign secretary Shyam Saran, Industrialist Yogi
Deveshwar, banker Chanda Kochar, Infosys executive Kris
Gopalakrishnan, K Anji Reddy of Reddy labs, Rajinder Singh
Pawar, former civil servants M N Buch and Surinder Singh,
Kathakali artist M Vasudevan Nair, theatre personality from
Maharashtra Satyadev Dubey, were listed in the Padma Bhushan
category.
The other Padma Shri awardees included playback singer
Usha Uthap, bollywood actor Irrfan Khan, Kashmir University
Vice chancellor Riyaz Punjabi, Tamil literary personality Dr
Avvai Natarajan, Dogri writer Devi Dutt Sharma and former
Delhi Univesity Upendra Baxi.
Subra Suresh, Director of National Science Foundation in
the US and an advisor of President Barack Obama, and Gene
Campaign activist Suman Sahai were those selected in the
science category in Padma awards.
PTI
