Chennai: Prime Minister Narendra Modi praised this year’s Padma awardees.
In a tweet, 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”.
The Padma awards were announced by the government on Monday, with the President approving conferment of 119 awards – seven Padma Vibhushan, 10 Padma Bhushan and 102 Padma Shri, to eminent personalities across fields of art, literature and education, medicine, trade and industry, sports, public affairs, social work and science and engineering.
Twenty-nine women are among the Padma awardees and the list also includes 10 persons from the category of foreigners, NRI, PIO AND OCI and one transgender.
Sixteen people, including legendary singer SPB, have been given the award posthumously.