‘Padma Shrimati’ Aishwarya and ‘Kinng’ Akshay receive ‘Padma Shri’

Spicezee Bureau

Mumbai, Mar 31: It was a proud day for ‘Bachchan Bahu’ Aishwarya and ‘Kinng’ Akshay Kumar as they received one of the highest civilian honours – Padma Shri from President Pratibha Patil at Rashtrapati Bhavan. Aishwarya is the youngest person to ever achieve this honour from the film fraternity. Tall, lissome and clad in an embroidered sari, Aishwarya looked regal as she received the award. Akshay Kumar looked equally impressive and suave in his formals.The two good-looking actors were among the 62 personalities who received the Padma awards on Monday. Chairman of the Atomic Energy Commission Anil Kakodkar, a key architect of the Indo-US nuclear deal, famous playback singer of yesteryear Shamshad Begum and director of the central board of Reserve Bank of India, Ashok Shekhar Ganguly were among other prominent persons to get the award from the President at the special function in the Ashoka Hall of Rashtrapati Bhavan. Patil conferred the Padma Vibhushan, the country`s second highest civilian award, to Kakodkar for his contributions in the field of nuclear science and technology during the function attended by Vice President Hamid Ansari, Prime Minister Manmohan Singh and a host of other dignitaries. Earlier, Ash’s father-in-law Amitabh Bachchan said after the announcement of awardees, “Aishwarya will become the 5th Padma Award in our household. My Father with the Padma Bhushan the first, then the Padma Shri for me, followed again by the Padma Bhushan to me some years later, Jaya’s Padma Shri and now Aishwarya’s. This must be a record for the country. 5 Padma Awards in one family. God has been very kind to us. The people of this land have been very kind to us. We are humbled and with bended knee and bowed heads acknowledge your affection and care and love.” Hubby Abhishek expressed his joy at the news and fondly called wife as ‘Padma Shrimati’. Besides Akshay and Ash, veteran actress and dancing queen of yesteryears Helen was also bestowed with the Padma Shri for her contribution to art and cinema. From the field of music, playback singers Kumar Sanu and Udit Narayan, Ghazal singer Penaaz Masani and music composer Pandit Hridaynath Mangeshkar also made it to the list of Padma Shri awardees this year.