Padma Awards – Padma Vibhushan, Padma Bhushan, and Padma Shri, which are generally given to those who are celebrated for their profession, and served the public thus, have witnessed a new and welcome change.
Although Modi’s government started involving the public in the nomination process in 2018, this year’s awards have started to truly reflect the vision of ‘People’s Padma Awards.’
Some of the recipients this year, those who stood for noble causes, reflected the country at its grassroots level. Nothing prohibited selecting such modest role models in the past, but they were hardly ever nominated. Anand Mahindra was so humbled by some of this year’s Awardees that he posted this.
Apart from environmentalist Tulsi Gowda seen in Mr. Anand Mahindra’s tweet, Padma Shri was also conferred on Harekala Hajabba, an orange vendor from Karnataka who saved money to build a school.
A transgender dancer Manjamma Jogathi was also awarded Padma Shri.
Dulari Devi, an artist in the ‘Mithila Tradition’ from Madhubani, Bihar, was conferred with Padma Shri. Here is the PM with Ms. Dulari Devi.
Awards for 2020 (Civil Investiture Ceremony 1 & 2 held on November 8)
President Ram Nath Kovind presented 4 Padma Vibhushan, 8 Padma Bhushan, and 61 Padma Shri Awards for the year 2020 in the morning at the Rashtrapati Bhavan.
Later in the evening, the President presented 3 Padma Vibhushan, 8 Padma Bhushan, and 61 Padma Shri Awards for the year 2020.
The awards for 2020 included 18 Foreigners. Twelve awards were Posthumous.
Padma Vibhushan Awardees included Boxer Mary Kom, Hindustani Classical Singer Pandit Chhannulal Mishra, Prime Minister of Mauritius Anerood Jugnauth, and Posthumous awards for George Fernandez, Sushma Swaraj, Arun Jaitley, and Pejavara Adhokhaja Matha Udupi.
Padma Bhushan awardees included Olympian P.V. Sindhu and Business Tycoon Anand Mahindra.
Film Personalities Kangana Ranaut and Karan Johar were awarded Padma Shri.
Vice-President Venkiah Naidu, Prime Minister Narendra Modi, Home Minister Amit Shah were among the attendees for both the ceremonies.
Awards for 2021 (Civil Investiture Ceremony 1 & 2 held on November 9)
President Kovind conferred 7 Padma Vibhushan, 10 Padma Bhushan, and 102 Padma Shri for the year 2021 in two ceremonies, one held in the morning and the other in the evening of November 9.
Former Prime Minister of Japan Shinzo Abe and Singer S.P. Balasubrahmanyam (posthumous) were among the Padma Vibhushan Awardees.
Late political leaders Ram Vilas Paswan, Sumitra Mahajan, and Keshubhai Patel were conferred Padma Bhushan posthumously.