As India gears up for its 75th Republic Day, the government has announced 131 Padma Awards, recognizing excellence across diverse fields. Leading the pack is veteran actor Dharmendra Deol, posthumously awarded the Padma Vibhushan for his legendary roles that defined generations of Bollywood storytelling.
Joining him are fellow thespians Satish Shah (posthumous) and R. Madhavan, whose versatile performances have captivated audiences. Violin virtuoso Dr. N. Rajam secures another Padma Vibhushan, her career a testament to 50 years of musical brilliance from the halls of BHU to international concert stages.
Alka Yagnik’s Padma Bhushan honors her vast repertoire of 20,000+ songs in various languages, a voice that has soundtracked Indian lives. Mammootty, Piyush Pandey (posthumous), and poet R. Ganesh also clinch Padma Bhushan for their groundbreaking work in film, advertising, and literature.
In the Padma Shri category, ‘Anupama’ star Arvind Vaidya shines as Bapuji, alongside folk artists like Bharat Singh Bharti, Bhiklya Ladkya Dhinda, Vishwa Bandhu (posthumous), Chiranji Lal Yadav, Deepika Reddy, Gaddde Rajendra Prasad, and Gafuruddin Mewati Jogi. The list brims with musical talents: Garimella Balakrishna Prasad, Gayatri and Ranjani Balasubramaniam, Vimala Menon, Pt. Kumar Bose, Pokhila Lekthepi, Prosenjit Chatterjee, Tarun Bhattacharya, Tiruvarur Bakthavatsalam, and Tripti Mukherjee.
This announcement underscores India’s commitment to honoring those who preserve and innovate in arts, music, and culture, setting an inspiring tone for the national celebrations ahead.
