Singers Usha Barle, Suman Kalyanpur receive Padma Awards

NEW DELHI : Veteran singer Suman Kalyanpur was awarded India's third highest civilian award, Padma Bhushan, by President Droupadi Murmu at a gilded ceremony at the Rashtrapati Bhavan on Wednesday.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Union Home Minister Amit Shah were in attendance during the presentation ceremony.

Suman Kalyanpur lent her vocals to timeless classics such as 'Aaj Kal Tere Mere Pyaar Ke Charche' and 'Naa Naa Karte Pyar Tumhin Se Kar Baithe'. Her voice was often mistaken to be that of Lata Mangeshkar's.

She also sang two duets with Mangeshkar before charting a successful career as a playback singer.

Pandwani singer Usha Barle also received a Padma Award during the presentation ceremony on Wednesday. She was conferred with the Padma Shri, the third highest civilian honour.

Usha Barle has received training in Pandwani from renowned Pandwani singer and Padma Vibhushan Teejanbai. She has performed Pandwani in various states of India and beyond, including London and New York. She also won the gold medal six times in Girodhpuri Tapobhoomi.

Bhanubhai Chitara, a 7th-generation Kalamkari artist from the Chunara community carrying forward the legacy of the 400-year-old traditional craft of Mata ni Pachedi, also received Padma Shri from President Murmu.

Earlier, in January, the Central government announced a total of 106 Padma Awards across categories. The categories included art, social work, public affairs, science and engineering, trade and industry, medicine, literature and education, sports, and civil service, among others.