Saina Nehwal, Sri Sri to be honoured with Padma awards

Founder of Reliance Industries late Dhirubhai Ambani, former Governor of Jammu and Kashmir Jagmohan, actors Anupam Kher and Ajay Devgn and badminton star Saina Nehwal are among 56 eminent persons who will be honoured with Padma awards by the President on Monday.  

Art of Living founder Sri Sri Ravi Shankar, renowned dancer Yamini Krishnamurti, former CAG Vinod Rai, filmmaker Madhur Bhandarkar and celebrated chef Mohammed Imtiaz Qureshi will also receive the Padma awards at the Civil Investiture Ceremony to be held at Rashtrapati Bhavan. 

President Pranab Mukherjee will present five Padma Vibhushan, eight Padma Bhushan and 43 Padma Shri awards at the function. Dhirubhai Ambani (posthumous), Avinash Kamalakar Dixit, Jagmohan, Yamini Krishnamuthi and Sri Sri Ravi Shankar would be awarded Padma Vishushan, while Padma Bhushan would be conferred on Hafeez Sorabe Contractor, Barjinder Singh Hamdard, Anupam Kher, Pallonji Shapoorji Mistry, Saina Nehwal, Vinod Rai, AV Rama Rao and Duvvur Nageshwar Reddy. 

The 43 Padma Shri awardees who will receive the honour on Monday include ISRO scientist Mylswamy Annadurai, Madhur R Bhandarkar, Ajay Devgn, Deepika Kumari and Mohammed Imtiaz Qureshi. 

Government had announced Padma awards for 112 eminent persons on the eve of Republic Day. The rest of the awardees will be given the honour at a separate function to be held next month.