Padma Awards: Ex-Karnataka CM SM Krishna, industrialist KM Birla & late Rakesh Jhunjhunwala among those honoured

New Delhi: Former Karnataka chief minister S M Krishna, noted industrialist Kumar Mangalam Birla and famous playback singer Suman Kalyanpur were given Padma awards by President Droupadi Murmu at a ceremony at the Rashtrapati Bhavan on Wednesday.

Besides them, billionaire stock market investor Rakesh Jhunjhunwala, who had passed away last year, was given the Padma Shri posthumously.

#WATCH | Veteran investor and Akasa Air founder, late Rakesh Jhunjhunwala conferred the Padma Shri (posthumously) by President Droupadi Murmu.

His wife, Rekha Jhunjhunwala receives the award. pic.twitter.com/mLOU7IJf2Q

— ANI (@ANI) March 22, 2023

Krishna, a former external affairs minister, who is “known for his statesman-like vision and administrative acumen during a career spanning more than six decades”, was given the Padma Vibhushan, the Rashtrapati Bhavan tweeted.

He was an external affairs minister in the Congress-led UPA government but had later joined the BJP.

President Droupadi Murmu presents Padma Vibhushan to Shri S.M. Krishna for Public Affairs. He is a former External Affairs Minister and former Chief Minister of Karnataka known for his statesman-like vision and administrative acumen during a career spanning more than six decades. pic.twitter.com/X73o7OLbQf

— President of India (@rashtrapatibhvn) March 22, 2023

Noted architect Balkrishna Doshi (posthumously) was also given Padma Vibhushan, the country’s second highest civilian honour. Doshi, known for using minimalistic, simple and eco-friendly approach to architecture, designed many iconic structures.

Birla, chairman of the Aditya Birla Group, was given the Padma Bhushan. One of the first Indian groups to venture abroad, it has acquired widespread global presence, the Rashtrapati Bhavan said in another tweet.

Delhi-based professor Kapil Kapoor, spiritual leader Kamlesh D Patel and Kalyanpur were conferred Padma Bhushan, the country’s third-highest civilian award.

A former Professor of English at JNU, Kapoor is known for striving to indigenise higher education by integrating Indian knowledge systems and establishing dedicated institutes, it said.

Patel is the founder of the Heartfulness Movement, and has developed Kanha Shanti Vanam, which is home to one of the world’s largest meditation centre.

In another tweet, the Rashtrapati Bhavan said Kalyanpur, a renowned Indian playback singer lent her voice to innumerable hit songs in Hindi, Marathi and 11 other languages during a career spanning four decades.

The Narendra Modi government has been honouring many unsung heroes who have been contributing to society in different ways with Padma awards since 2014 when it came to power for the first time Jodhaiya Bai Baiga, a prominent artist of Baiga painting, Usha Barle, performer of Pandwani and Panthi art forms of Chhattisgarh, and Raman Cheruvayal, a tribal farmer from Kerala who is known for his contribution to sustainable agriculture and preservation of biodiversity, were given the Padma Shri.

Bhanubhai Chunilal Chitara, who has helped in preserving and promoting the traditional Mata Ni Pachedi craft of Gujarat, and Sankurathri Chandrasekhar, a managing trustee of Sankurathri Foundation which has educated a large number of rural students, provided eye-care to over 37 lakh people and performed over 3 lakh surgeries), were also awarded the Padma Shri.

The ceremony was attended by Vice President Jagdeep Dhankhar, Prime Minister Modi and Lok Sabha Speaker Om Birla as well as Home Minister Amit Shah and several other Union ministers.

The president had approved conferment of 106 Padma awards, including three duo cases (in a duo case, the award is counted as one), on the eve of this year’s Republic Day.

Of these, over 50 people were awarded – Padma Vibhushan, Padma Bhushan and Padma Shri – on Wednesday. Rest of the awardees would be conferred the honour in another ceremony later.

Padma awards are conferred in three categories – Padma Vibhushan, Padma Bhushan and Padma Shri. India’s top civilian award Bharat Ratna has not been given to anyone since 2019.

The awards are given in various disciplines and fields of activities vis-a-vis 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.

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