IANS/New Delhi
India’s high civilian honours - the Bharat Ratna and Padma awards - were yesterday conferred by President Pranab Mukherjee on a galaxy of prominent people who have done the country proud.
Bharat Ratna, the highest civilian award, was bestowed posthumously on freedom fighter and eminent educationist Madan Mohan Malaviya at an investiture ceremony at the Rashtrapati Bhavan yesterday evening.
Former prime minister Atal Behari Vajpayee, who too was honoured with the Bharat Ratna, was presented the medallion and the scroll of the award last week at his residence because of his ill health.
Mukherjee, at a simple yet elegant ceremony at the Rashtrapati Bhavan, presented the Padma Vibhushan, Padma Bhushan and Padma Shri to a host of leaders and prominent people from various walks of life.
The awards this year included two Bharat Ratnas, three Padma Vibhushans, 12 Padma Bhushans and 34 Padma Shris.
BJP leader and former deputy prime minister L K Advani, Punjab Chief Minister Parkash Singh Badal and Jagadguru Swami Rambhadracharya received the Padma Vibhushan.
Journalists Swapan Dasgupta and Rajat Sharma, Microsoft founder and philanthropist Bill Gates and his wife Melinda Gates were awarded the Padma Bhushan.
The Gates couple, however, could not come personally to receive their awards.
Poet-lyricist Prasoon Joshi, filmmaker Sanjay Leela Bhansali and playwright Tarak Janubhai Mehta were some of the well-known people who received the Padma Shri.
Rajat Sharma shook hands with Prime Minister Narendra Modi as he stood to receive Padma Bhushan.
People from the sports world included well-known wrestler Satpal, who received the Padma Bhushan for his outstanding performance in various international tournaments.
Renowned badminton player P V Sindhu and Indian hockey team captain Sardar Singh both received the Padma Shri.
On March 27, President Mukherjee made a break with protocol to drive down to Vajpayee’s Krishna Menon Marg residence to confer the highest honour on the nonagenarian BJP leader.
Ansari, Modi as well as former prime minister Manmohan Singh and Advani were among those who attended the presentation on that day.
Modi expressed his gratitude to Mukherjee for going to Vajpayee’s home to personally hand over the award.
President Pranab Mukherjee presents the Padma Vibhushan Award to veteran politician and parliamentarian L K Advani yesterday.
