New Delhi:
Well-known classical singer Ustad Ghulam Mustafa Khan and ace music composer Ilaiyaraaja were on Thursday selected for the country's second highest civilian award Padma Vibhushan.
Among others in the list of artistes from music and dance field, include Hindustani classical musician and sitar player Arvind Parikh, and folk singer Sharda Sinha, who will be conferred with Padma Bhushan.
Ilaiyaraaja, 74, is credited with integrating folk and western musical sensibilities into the South Indian musical mainstream.
He was conferred with Padma Bhushan by the government in 2010.
Khan was awarded the Padma Shri in 1991 and the Padma Bhushan in 2006. He is well known as a singer, music director and as a teacher. He has also trained several noted playback and classical singers.
Born in Bihar, Sharda Sinha is a well known folk-singer. Her version of the Chhath Puja themed song Pahele Pahil Hum Kayeni Chhath is one of the most acclaimed songs of all time.
Mumbai-based Arvind Parikh is considered one of the greatest living sitarists of the country with his career spanning over six decades.
Painter Laxman Pai has been named for the Padma Bhushan.
From cinema sphere, director Sisir Purushottam Mishra will be conferred with Padma Shri. He is best known for directing critically-acclaimed films such as "Bheegi Palkein", "Samay Ki Dhara", "Billoo Baadshaah", "TADA" and "Aseema". Actor Manoj Joshi has also been named for Padma Shri.
Other artistes in the Padma Shri list are Mohan Swaroop Bhatia, Doddarange Gowda, Ramli Bin Ibrahim, Vijay Kichlu, Vijayalakshmi Navaneethakrishnan, R Sathyanarayana, Ibrahim Sutar, Rudrapatnam Narayanaswamy Tharanathan and Rudrapatnam Narayanaswamy Thyagarajan.
