Padma awards: Sushma Swaraj, Arun Jaitley, Kangana, Adnan Sami among 119 people honoured

NEW DELHI: President Ram Nath Kovind on Monday conferred the Padma awards on 119 people at a ceremony held at Rashtrapati Bhawan in New Delhi.This year's list comprises seven Padma Vibhushan, 10 Padma Bhushan and 102 Padma Shri awards. Among the recipients, 29 are women, 16 posthumous awardees and one transgender awardee.Vice President M Venkaiah Naidu, Prime Minister Narendra Modi, Union home minister Amit Shah and Union external affairs minister S Jaishankar were among the dignitaries who attended the event.The Padma Awards are among the top civilian honours of India, announced annually on the eve of Republic Day. The Awards are given in three categories: Padma Vibhushan (for exceptional and distinguished service), Padma Bhushan (distinguished service of higher order) and Padma Shri (distinguished service). The award seeks to recognise achievements in all fields of activities or disciplines where an element of public service is involved.Here's a list of some of the Padma award recipients:• Hindustani classical singer Pandit Chhannulal Mishra received Padma Vibhushan, the second-highest civilian honour of the country. Pandit Mishra had been honoured with Padma Bhushan in 2010 and Sangeet Natak Akademi Award in 2000.• Former external affairs minister Sushma Swaraj was honoured with the Padma Vibhushan posthumously. She passed away on August 6, 2019, following a cardiac arrest.• Among others who were awarded the Padma Vibhushan were former Union ministers George Fernandes (posthumous) and Arun Jaitley (posthumous).• Padma Bhushan awards were conferred on badminton player P V Sindhu, Dr Anil Prakash Joshi for social work, Dr SC Jamir for public affairs and Mumtaz Ali for spiritualism among others.• Air Marshal Dr Padma Bandopadhyay received Padma Shri award, the fourth-highest civilian honour of the country, in the field of medicine. Bandopadhyay was the first woman to be promoted to the level of Air Marshal in the Indian Air Force.• Singer Adnan Sami received the Padma Shri award.• Actor Kangana Ranaut received the Padma Shri award.• Women's hockey team captain Rani Rampal was honoured with Padma Shri. Rampal had led the women's hockey team in Tokyo Olympics 2020, held earlier this year.• Former Scientist at Indian Council of Medical Research, Dr Raman Gangakhedkar was conferred with Padma Shri award. Dr Gangakhedkar is now a member of the World Health Organisation's (WHO) expert group tasked with probing the origins of the Covid-19.• Veteran singer Suresh Wadkar was honoured with the Padma Shri. "It feels really special to receive the award under the tenure of Modi ji and President Ram Nath Kovind ji... I have been waiting for a long time to get this award and now I have finally received it," Wadkar told ANI.• Among other recipients of the Padma Shri this year from the world of arts are Karan Johar, Ekta Kapoor, television and film actress Sarita Joshi and late singer SP Balasubramaniam.• Padma Shri was conferred on Harekala Hajabba for Social Work. An orange vendor in Mangalore, Karnataka, he saved money from his vendor business to build a school in his village.• Padma Shri was also conferred on renowned litterateur of Santali language Damayanti Beshra.(With inputs from agencies)