Eminent personalities for the Padma Bhushan honour include former foreign secretary Shyam Saran, eminent composer Khayyam, veteran actors Shashi Kapoor and Waheeda Rehman, noted social workers Rajashree Birla and Shobhana Ranade. Banker Chanda Kochhar, Infosys chief executive Kris Gopalakrishnan, ITC’s Yogi Deveshwar and Dr Reddy Labs’ Anji Reddi have also been conferred the Padma Bhushan.
Among the 84 Padma Shri awardees are Bollywood actors Kajol, Tabu and Irrfan Khan, and singer Usha Uthup.
Cricketer V.V.S. Laxman and shooter Gagan Narang from Andhra Pradesh are also being conferred the Padma Shri.
Also figuring in the list of Padma Shri awardees are Indian-born American physicist Mani Lal Bhaumik, Gene Campaign chairperson Suman Sahai, US National Science Foundation’s Subra Suresh, Sushil Kumar (wrestling), Nameirakpam Kunjarani Devi (weightlifting) and Harbhajan Singh (mountaineering).
Playback singer S.P. Balasubrahmanyam and several noted painters — Krishen Khanna, Arpita Singh, Dwijen Mukherjee, and the late Dashrath Patel — are also on the list for the second highest civilian honour of the country.
Suryanarayanan Ramachandran has also been chosen for the Padma Bhushan in the science and engineering category. Kannada filmmakers Girish Kasaravalli and Malayalam director Shaji Karun have been honoured with the Padma Shri.
The other recipients of the Padma Shri include Gajam Govardhana, Prof. Urvashi Butalia, Prof. E.A. Siddiq, Narayan Singh Bhati, Prof. Pullella Srirama Chandrudu, Prof. M. Annamalai, Mahesh Haribhai Mehta and Prof. Koneru Ramakrishna Rao.
From trade and industry, the Max Group’s Analjit Singh, NIIT’s Rajendra S. Pawar, GVK Group’s G.V.K. Reddy and HCL’s Ajai Chowdhary are being conferred Padma Bhushans. Leather major Fareeda Group’s Mecca Rafeeque Ahmed, pharma major Orchid Group’s Kailasam Raghavendra Rao and leading Singapore-based investor Satpal Khattar were named for Padma Shri awards.