President Pranab Mukherjee confers 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 recieved Padma awards by the President in New Delhi.

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

President Pranab Mukherjee presented five Padma Vibhushan, eight Padma Bhushan and 43 Padma Shri awards at the function.

Dhirubhai Hirachand Ambani (posthumous), Avinash Kamalakar Dixit, Jagmohan, Yamini Krishnamuthi and Sri Sri Ravi Shankar were awarded Padma Vishushan, while Padma Bhushan has been conferred on Hafeez Sorabe Contractor, Barjinder Singh Hamdard, Anupam Pushkarnath Kher, Pallonji Shapoorji Mistry, Saina Nehwal, Vinod Rai, Alla Ventaka Rama Rao and Duvvur Nageshwar Reddy.

The 43 Padma Shri awardees include 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, including superstar Rajinikanth, actor Priyanka Chopra and tennis star Sania Mirza, will be given the honour at a separate function to be held next month.