Film personalities Kangana Ranaut, Karan Johar, Ekta Kapoor, and Adnan Sami received their Padma Shri awards in a ceremony held in Rashtrapati Bhawan in New Delhi on Monday.
Late singer SP Balasubrahmanyam was awarded the Padma Vibhushan posthumously. His son, Charan, received the award.
President Ram Nath Kovind presented the Padma honours for 2020 while Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Home Minister Amit Shah also attended the event.
After the Bharat Ratna, the Padma Awards are the highest civilian honour in 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 awards seek to recognise achievements in all fields or disciplines where an element of public service is involved.
Ranaut, dressed in Sabyasachi, was presented the Padma Shri by President Kovind. She also recently received the National Award for Best Actress for her performances in the films Manikarnika and Panga.
Filmmaker Karan Johar too was honoured with Padma Shri for his contribution to the field of performing arts.
Upon receiving the honour, Johar wrote on social media, “This is a monumental day for me, my mother, my kids and my company, and will forever be etched in my memory. Thank you so much for all your wishes and the abundance of love!”
Singer Adnan Sami and producer Ekta Kapoor too were bestowed the honour for their contribution in the field.
Several others were also honoured for their work in the field of art. Dr Suresh Wadkar, a trained singer of Indian classical music; Shri Daya Prakash Sinha, a doyen of Hindi theatre and playwright; Shri Dalavayi Chalapathi Rao, a renowned artist in the shadow puppetry craft; Shri Munna Master, a popular Bhajan Singer in the area of Bagru (Jaipur); Ustad Anwar Khan Mangniyar, a professional Manganiar musician who is one of the leading vocalists of folk, Sufi and traditional music of western Rajasthan; Shri Yazdi Naoshirwan Karanjia, a Parsee Theatre artist; Shri Mitrabhanu Gountia, a distinguished dramatist, poet and lyricist; Dr Utsab Charan Das, a renowned Odissi dancer; Indira P.P. Bora, an internationally renowned Indian classical dance; were all presented with the award by President Kovind.
The ceremony will continue on Tuesday.
