This Friday the President of India Ram Nath Kovind approved conferment of the highest civilian awards of the country Padma Awards for 112 civilians. The list contains 4 Padma Vibhushan, 14 Padma Bhushan and 94 Padma Shri Awards. Out of all the awardees, 21 are women and the list also includes 11 persons from the category of Foreigners, 3 Posthumous awardees and 1 transgender.
Bollywood veteran actor, known for his roles as a most loved villain and comedian Kader Khan, who breathed his last on December 31 last year, will be awarded Padma Shri posthumously.
During an interview given to news agency IANS, Kader Khan talked about not being recognized for his contribution to cinema.
He had stated, “If the government feels that I have done good work, it will honor me. It’s people’s love that they are demanding it for me”. He had added, “it’s good that I did not get one.”
Taunting the ones who have got it in 2016, Kader Khan had said, “… it’s good that they did not give me a Padma Shri. I have neither flattered anyone in my life, nor will I ever. I don’t want these awards if they have been given to people (in the industry) who got it this time.”
“An award is a no big thing, but its importance lies in the people it has been conferred upon. Earlier, there was a certain honesty in these awards but it’s not the same case now. People have now forgotten to respect others and have become way too selfish. I would think that I was not as capable as those who were chosen for the Padma awards this year. I, however, thank all those who proposed my name for it”, he had said.
Malayalam superstar Mohanlal Viswanathan, Bollywood actor Manoj Bajpayee, dance choreographer-actor Prabhu Deva, music composer-singer Shankar Mahadevan, actor Dinyar Contractor, lyricist Sirivennela Seetharama Sastry, and percussionist Sivamaniare will also be honored with this award.
Former Indian Space Research Organisation scientist Nambi Narayanan and mountaineer Bachendri Pal have been nominated for Padma Bhushan this year.