New Delhi: President Ramnath Kovind along with Home Minister Amit Shah among others commenced the Padma Shri Award 2021 ceremony today at Rashtrapati Bhavan Delhi.
119 Padma Awards were called to be presented by President Ram Nath Kovind.The list included 7 Padma Vibhushan, 10 Padma Bhushan and 102 Padma Shri Awards. 29 of the awardees are women, 16 Posthumous awardees and 1 transgender awardee.
Amongst the central employees Former External Affairs Minister Sushma Swaraj was awarded the Padma Vibhushan award posthumously. Her daughter Bansuri Swaraj received the award on behalf of her the former minister.
Stalwarts from the medicine fraternity namely Dr Raman Gangakhedkar, former Head Scientist, ICMR was awarded the Padma Shri Award 2020. Air Marshal Dr Padma Bandopadhyay is another recipent in the field of medicine. Dr Sushovan Banerjee, known as ‘Ek Takar Daktar’ (one rupee doctor) for treating poor patients for just a rupee was awarded with the Padma Shri.
Amongst those from the sports and entertainment industry, noted Hindustani classical singer Pandit Chhannulal Mishra received the Padma Vibhushan award 2020.Actress Kangana Ranaut received the Padma Shri award 2020. Filmmakers Karan Johar and Ekta Kapoor were conferred the award this year on October 25. The two celebrities along with Ms Ranaut were honoured with the Padma Shri for their contribution to the field of performing arts. Captain of the women’s hockey team Rani Rampal, who led the team in the recent Tokyo Olympics, was conferred the Padma Shri award 2020. Another Olympic exemplary, PV Sindhu was awarded Padma Bhushan amongst the sports fellows.
The Padma Awards rank after the Bharat Ratna and are conferred to individuals for excellent services in thier fields. Padma Vibhushan, Padma Bhushan, and Padma Shri are awards named under the cat.