Padma Bhushan conferred on Siddaganga seer

Siddaganga Mutt seer Dr Shivakumara Swamiji was conferred with Padma Bhushan Award at the mutt premises here on Wednesday. Additional Chief Secretary V Umesh gave away the third highest civilian award on behalf of President of India.

“Siddaganga seer, who turned 108 on April 1, couldn’t make it to the awards function held at Delhi on April 8 owing to ill health. As per the protocol, treating that the seer has received the award on April 8, Padma Bhushan Award, which includes a citation and a medal, has been given to the seer at a formal function held at administration office of the mutt,” said, V Umesh, the protocol officer.

The mutt management had erected a pandal and made seating arrangements for the public for awards function. But the public function was cancelled following the instructions from Rashtrapathi Bhavan that there is no provision for holding public functions for distribution of Padma awards. 

As per the instructions issued by Rastrapathi Bhavan, we have complied with the protocol. The norms do not allow holding a public function for award distribution, he explained.