The Padma Awards, highest civillian awards for the country, were announced for 2021 on Monday evening. Former Japan PM Shinzo Abe, singer S P Balasubramaniam (posthumous), Dr. Belle Monappa Hegde, Maulana Wahiduddin Khan. Of the 119 Padma awardees, 29 are women, 16 are posthumous and there is one transgender awardee.
Prime Minister, Shri Narendra Modi has praised this year’s Padma Awardees. In a tweet Shri Modi said “We are proud of all those who have been conferred the Padma Awards. India cherishes their contribution to the nation and humanity at large. These exceptional individuals from different walks of life have brought qualitative changes in the lives of others.”
Padma Awards – one of the highest civilian Awards of the country, are conferred in three categories, namely, Padma Vibhushan, Padma Bhushan and Padma Shri. The Awards are given in various disciplines/ fields of activities, viz.- art, social work, public affairs, science and engineering, trade and industry, medicine, literature and education, sports, civil service, etc. ‘Padma Vibhushan’ is awarded for exceptional and distinguished service; ‘Padma Bhushan’ for distinguished service of high order and ‘Padma Shri’ for distinguished service in any field. The awards are announced on the occasion of Republic Day every year.
These awards are conferred by the President of India at ceremonial functions which are held at Rashtrapati Bhawan usually around March/ April every year. This year the President has approved conferment of 119 Padma Awards including 1 duo case (in a duo case, the Award is counted as one) as per list below. The list comprises 7 Padma Vibhushan, 10 Padma Bhushan and 102 Padma Shri Awards. The list also includes 10 persons from the category of Foreigners/NRI/PIO/OCI.