New Delhi: President Pranab Mukherjee on Sunday approved the conferment of Padma Awards to 104 persons which includes nine Padma Vibhushan, 20 Padma Bhushan and 75 Padma Shri Awardees.
BJP patriarch L K advani, megastar Amitabh Bachchan and Dilip Kumar while Punjab Chief Minister Parkash Singh Badal will be conferred the Padma Visbhushan.
Business Tycoon and philanthropist Bill Gates and his wife Melinda, along with noted endocrinologist Dr. Ambrish Mital of the Medanta group, journalist Rajat Sharma and Swapan Dasgupta will be conferred the Padma Bhushan.
Shuttler P V Sindhu, Indian women cricket captain Mithali Raj, along with filmmaker Sanjay Leela Bhansali and lyricist Prasoon Joshi, will also be conferred the Padma Shri.
Padma Awards – one of the highest civilian awards of the country – are conferred in three categories, namely, Padma Vibhushan, Padma Bhushan and Padma Shri. The awards are given in various disciplines or fields of activities like art, social work, public affairs, science and engineering, trade and industry, medicine, literature and education, sports, civil service, etc.
‘Padma Vibhushan’ is awarded for exceptional and distinguished service; ‘Padma Bhushan’ for distinguished service of high order and ‘Padma Shri’ for distinguished service in any field.Â