Stars shine bright at Padma Awards gala

NEW DELHI: Former governor Jagmohan, film personalities Anupam Kher, Ajay Devgn and Madhur Bhandarkar, former CAG Vinod Rai, and Art of Living founder Sri Sri Ravi Shankar received their Padma awards on Monday.
President Pranab Mukherjee gave away 56 Padma awards at the Rashtrapati Bhavan. Among the other eminent citizens honoured for distinguished performances in their fields were industrialist Dhirubhai Ambani (posthumously), badminton star Saina Nehwal, renowned dancer Yamini Krishnamurthy, folk singer Malini Awasthi, ‘sage of agriculture’ Subhash Palekar, and celebrated chef Mohammed Imtiaz Qureshi.
US-based economist Avinash Kamalakar Dixit, architect Hafeez Contractor, construction major Shapoorji Pallonji Mistry, scientist Alla Venkata Rama Rao, and the chairman of Asian Institute of Gastroenterology, Hyderabad, Duvvur Nageshwar Reddy are among the other recipients.The President presented five Padma Vibhushan, eight Padma Bhushan and 43 Padma Shri awards at a Civil Investiture Ceremony.The Padma Shri awardees include the director of Isro satellite centre, Mylswamy Annadurai, folk singer Awasthi, MasterCard president and CEO Ajaypal Singh Banga, harmonium virtuoso Pandit Tulsidas Borkar, the chairman of Interventional Cardiology at Medanta hospital, Praveen Chandra, and Assamese social worker Ajoy Kumar Dutta.
Archer Deepika Kumari, paediatrician Shiv Narain Kureel, theatre director and film-maker Naresh Chander Lal of Andaman and Nicobar Islands, Supreme Court lawyer M N Krishnamani, environmentalist Mahesh Chander Mehta, Kerala industrialist Sundar Menon, Odiya poet Haladhar Nag, and Gandhian and freedom fighter P Gopinath Nair are among the other recipients awarded the Padma Shri on Monday.
The rest of the winners, including actors Rajinikanth and Priyanka Chopra, will receive their awards next month.