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The Indian government bestowed the Padma awards on numerous prominent individuals ahead of the 74th Republic Day. Among the nine recipients of the Padma Bhushan are noted industrialist Kumara Mangalam Birla, author S L Bhyrappa, and Sudha Murthy.
Rakesh Jhunjhunwala (posthumous), Raveena Tandon, and Manipur BJP president Thounaojam Chaoba Singh were were among the 91 recipients of the Padma Shri.
Padma Vibhushan recipients include late Samajwadi Party leader Mulayam Singh Yadav, S M Krishna, and drummer Ustad Zakir Hussain. Padma Vibhushan recipients this year include Balkrishna Doshi, Srinivas Vardhan, and Dilip Mahalanabis.
Dilip Mahalanabis, a medical practitioner who returned from the United States to help in refugee camps after the 1971 Bangladesh conflict and advocated the use of Oral Rehydration Solution around the world, was among 26 unsung heroes chosen for the prized Padma awards on the eve of Republic Day.
According to authorities, Mahalanabis (87) of West Bengal has been chosen for this year’s Padma Vibhushan, the country’s second highest civilian honour.
Mangala Kanti Roy, a 102-year-old Sarinda player from West Bengal, and Tula Rama Uprety, a 98-year-old organic farmer, were both awarded the Padma Shri.
Padma Shri recipients include retired government doctor Ratan Chandra Kar of Andaman, who works with the Jarawa tribe in the Nicobar Islands, Siddi tribal social worker Hirabai Lobi of Gujarat, and war veteran Munishwar Chander Dawar of Madhya Pradesh.
Padma Shri was also awarded to Naga social worker Ramkuiwangbe Newme, who conserved and promoted Heraka indigenous culture via awareness camps and programmes, created 10 elementary schools, and fostered women’s education, in addition to transcribing ‘Tingwang Hingde’ of Heraka religion.
Among those chosen for the Padma Shri are ‘Kannur ke Gandhi’ V P Appukuttan Poduval, a 99-year-old freedom fighter who participated in the Quit India movement, snake catchers Vadivel Gopal and Masi Sadaiyan of the Irula Tribe in Tamil Nadu, and Tula Ram Upreti, a 98-year-old self-sustaining small organic farmer from Sikkim.