Venkaiah Naidu, Mithun Chakraborty, Usha Uthup, Ram Naik Conferred Padma Awards

New Delhi: President Droupadi Murmu conferred the prestigious Padma Awards 2024 on several distinguished personalities at a ceremony held at the Rashtrapati Bhavan on Monday.

Former Vice President M Venkaiah Naidu, Sulabh International founder Bindeshwar Pathak, and renowned Bharatanatyam dancer Padma Subrahmanyam were among those honoured with the Padma Vibhushan. Actor Mithun Chakraborty, singer Usha Uthup, former Uttar Pradesh governor Ram Naik, and industrialist Sitaram Jindal were conferred with the Padma Bhushan.

The event was attended by Vice President Jagdeep Dhankhar, Prime Minister Narendra Modi, Union Home Minister Amit Shah, and External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar.

Padma Awards, esteemed as one of the highest civilian honours in India, are presented annually in three categories: Padma Vibhushan, Padma Bhushan, and Padma Shri, recognizing exceptional contributions across various fields including art, social work, public affairs, and more.

This year, a total of 132 Padma awards were approved by the President, including two duo cases. Among them were five Padma Vibhushan, 17 Padma Bhushan, and 110 Padma Shri awards. Notably, the list featured 30 women awardees and included individuals from diverse backgrounds, including foreigners and posthumous recipients.

While a significant number of awardees received their honours on Monday, the remaining will be recognized in a ceremony next week.