Rajinikanth, Hindustani vocalist Girija Devi and Sania Mirza were among 56 people who were honoured by President Pranab Mukherjee with Padma awards on Tuesday.
Actor Priyanka Chopra, Chairperson of media group Bennett, Coleman & Co. Indu Jain, Eenadu Chief Editor Ramoji Rao, Chairman of Maruti Suzuki India R C Bhargava, singer Udit Narayan and lawyer Ujjwal Nikam were also honoured with Padma awards.
Rajinikanth, Girija Devi, former DRDO chief V K Aatre, Rao and Chennai-based oncologist V Shanta were honoured with Padma Vibhushan by President at the Civil Investiture Ceremony held at the Rashtrapati Bhavan.
Renowned Kannada novelist from Karnataka S L Bhyrappa was presented the Padma Shri along with fellow Kannadigas Hindustani classical vocalist M Venkateshkumar Padma, acclaimed classical dancer Prathibha Prahlad, President of Vivekananda Yoga Anushandhan Samathana H R Nagendra and film director S S Rajamouli.
Former US Ambassador Robert Blackwill, noted Telugu and Hindi litterateur Yarlagadda Lakshmi Prasad, leading sculptor Ram Vanji Sutar, Indologist N S Ramanuja Tatacharya and International head of Chinmaya Mission Swami Tejomayananda, Vedanta teacher Dayananda Saraswati (posthumous), Manipuri playwright Heisnam Kanhailal, Bhargava, Jain, Mirza and Narayan were honoured with the Padma Bhushan.
