Keeping its promise of honouring 'unsung heroes', the government this year honoured with Padma awards several personalities who served the poor, set up free schools and popularised tribal arts globally.
'I feel I must decline as there is a general election looming and the timing of the award might be misconstrued, causing embarrassment both to the government and myself, which I would much regret,' Gita Mehta said.
Bharat, who featured in the playing XI for the first Test against England, took a moment to express his admiration for Chiranjeevi's significant contributions to the world of cinema.
President Pranab Mukherjee on Saturday conferred the Padma awards on several eminent personalities including industrialist Adi Godrej, Olympic medal winners Yogeshwar Dutt and Vijay Kumar, actor Nana Patekar and designer Ritu Kumar.
President Pratibha Patil has approved the conferment of Padma Awards 2011. This year the President has approved 128 awards, including one duo case (counted as one) and 12 in the category of Foreigners/ NRIs/ PIOs/ Posthumous. These comprise 13 Padma Vibhushan, 31 Padma Bhushan and 84 Padma Shri Awards. There are 31 ladies among the awardees.
On Thursday morning, Tata's mortal remains left the hospital in an ambulance. Here are the images:
Noted physicist Yash Pal and space scientist Roddam Narasimha were among those chosen for this year's second highest civilian honour of Padma Vibhushan while yesteryear cine stars late Rajesh Khanna and Sharmila Tagore and cricketer Rahul Dravid were selected for Padma Bhushan.
Cricketer VVS Laxman will be conferred the Padma Shri for his services to the game.
Padma Bhushan recipient PR Sreejesh, a legendary Indian hockey goalkeeper, expressed his gratitude for the honor, stating that India has given him more than what he has contributed to the sport.
The Padma Vibhushan for this year has been awarded to a total of seven prominent personalities, while 16 have been given the Padma Bhushan, 118 have been given the Padma Shri on the 71st Republic Day this year, they said.
Harivanshi Rai, Jaya, and Aishwarya Rai have been previous awardees.
Bharatanatyam and Kuchipudi veteran Yamini Krishnamurti died at the Apollo hospital New Delhi on Saturday. She was 84.
Late cartoonist Mario Miranda, actors Dharmendra and Shabana Azmi, top mathematician M S Raghunathan, former Chief Vigilance Commissioner N Vittal and industry leader B Muthuraman were among those conferred the Padma awards by President Pratibha Patil in New Delhi on Wednesday.
The awardees included one Padma Vibhushan, 11 Padma Bhushan and 44 Padma Shri.
According to Rashtrapati Bhawan sources though controversial New York based businessman, Sant Singh Chatwal wanted to recieve the Padma award from President Pratibha Patil on March 31, mandarins in the home ministry did not agree to this. "This part of the information is not correct," said an official of the media unit of Rashtrapati Bhawan.
Indian Space Research Organisation chairman G Madhavan Nair, Olympic gold medallist Abhinav Bindra, historian Ramachandra Guha and noted billiard player Pankaj Advani were among the 63 personalities who received the Padma awards in New Delhi on Tuesday. The recipients also include social activist Sunderlal Bahuguna and veteran actor Helen Khan. President Prathibha Patil gave away the Padma awards at the Rashtrapati Bhawan.
According to a top level source in government, New York based hotelier and controversial businessman, Sant Singh Chatwal's name has been proposed for the Padma Bhushan award this year. His name has been sent to the Emabssy of India in Washington for confirmation which is a mandatory requirement, sources told rediff.com
Wipro Chairman Azim Premji, Planning Commission Deputy Chairperson Montek Singh Ahluwalia, former diplomat Brajesh Mishra and Telugu thespian A Nageshwara Rao were chosen for country's second highest civilian award--Padma Vibhushan--this year.
Noted scientist R A Mashelkar and yoga guru B K S Iyengar were on Saturday chosen for this year's Padma Vibhushan, the second highest civilian honour in India, while cine star Kamala Haasan, author Ruskin Bond and late former chief justice J S Verma were selected for the Padma Bhushan.
Ustad Zakir Hussain was laid to rest on Thursday at a San Francisco cemetery as renowned percussionist A Sivamani and other artistes performed on their drums at a little distance away in a tribute to the tabla maestro.
Tabla maestro Ustad Zakir Hussain died at a hospital in San Francisco, his family said on Monday.
A distinguished jurist and former chairman of the National Human Rights Commission, 75-year-old Venkatachaliah was presented the prestigious Padma Vibhushan by President Kalam.
Bharat Ratna, the country's highest civilian award, has not been conferred on anyone this year.
Doval said India hit nine terror targets crisscrossing Pakistan with precision and missed none of them
Jayant Narlikar wrote alternative what-if histories, explained difficult scientific theories with funny analogies, and leavened his lectures with jokes and humorous asides.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi launched his Bihar assembly poll campaign, asserting that the NDA under Chief Minister Nitish Kumar will break all previous electoral records. He criticized the INDIA bloc and highlighted the NDA's cohesiveness and development efforts in Bihar.
'That a song can carry the weight of a people's dreams and move hearts across the world.' On Bhupen Hazarika's 99th birth anniversary, Prime Minister Narendra Modi pays rich tribute to the legendary singer and composer.
The last Bharat Ratna award was conferred upon Pranab Mukherjee in 2019 and was posthumously awarded to Bhupendra Kumar Hazarika and Nanaji Deshmukh. The award was not given to anyone between 2020 and 2023.
Eight years ago, tabla maestro Zakir Hussain had narrated how his father Alla Rakha had welcomed him into this world by putting the musical instrument's rhythms into his ears when asked to recite prayers.
Superstar Rajinikanth, tennis icon Sania Mirza and actress Priyanka Chopra were among the 56 eminent persons who were honoured with Padma awards on Tuesday.
Yoga guru Ramdev, who had declined Padma Vibhushan award, on Saturday said that a lot of lobbying takes place behind the selection of Padma and even Nobel prize awardees and those with political influence succeed.
'Rajagopala Chidambaram's smile, simplicity and ability to put younger colleagues at ease always encouraged me to approach him for advice or guidance.'
A Delhi court refused to order an FIR on a complaint alleging that two paintings by late artist M F Husain hurt religious sentiments, stating that no further investigation was required. The court, however, issued notice to the Delhi Art Gallery for a complaint case hearing on February 12. The paintings, featuring Hindu deities Hanuman and Ganesh, were seized by the police earlier this month following the complaint. The complainant, advocate Amita Sachdeva, argued that the paintings insulted the revered deities and constituted obscenity.
Till now, the maximum Bharat Ratnas were awarded in 1999 when four recipients were given the coveted award.
Rio Olympic medallist Sakshi Malik, Virat Kohli are in the list
To make the process of conferring Padma awards more transparent, the home ministry has issued a revised proforma for people who wish to apply for the prestigious civilian honours.
The Punjab CM said he was overwhelmed at receiving the Padma Vibhushan.
Maharashtra cabinet on Thursday passed a resolution urging the central government to confer 'Bharat Ratna', the country's highest civilian award, on legendary industrialist late Ratan Tata.
United States Ambassador to India, Eric Garcetti, expressed condolences on veteran industrialist, Ratan Tata's demise on Thursday and said that India, and the world have 'lost a giant with a giant heart'.
