Padma Awards announces; no Bharat Ratna this year

Rooting out the speculation that Indian Cricket superstar Sachin Tendulkar or Hockey Legend Late. Major Dhyanchand might get the Bharat Ratna Award this year, the President of India Pratibha Devi Singh Patil has approved only Padma Awards on the eve of the Republic Day. No 'Ratna' would be given this year.

President Patil has approved 109 persons including 19 women, one duo case (counted as one) and 14 in the category of foreigners/ NRIs/ PIOs/posthumous.

Five persons were conferred for Padma Vibhushan, 27 for Padma Bhushan and 77 for Padma Shri awards, this year.

Legendary musician and singer Late Bhupen Hazarika, popular cartoonist Late Mario De' Miranda, eminent painter and artist KG Subramanium, famous orthopaedic surgeon Dr. Kanti Lal Hastimal Sancheti and former governor of Uttar Pradesh T V Rajeshwar (for civil services) are selected for top Padma honour (Padma Vibhushan).

The second highest Padma honour 'Padma Bhushan' would be given to 27 renowned personalities including Bollywood star Shabana Azmi, Dharmendra Singh Deol, Film maker Mira Nair, Malyalam Art Film Director Soman Nair Priyadarsan, Painter Jatin Das, Violin player M S Gopalkrishnan, Sarod player Pandit Budhadev Das Gupta, Theatre artist Khaled Choudhary and sculpture artist Anish Kapoor, Cardiologist Dr. Devi Prasad Shetty, Neurologist Dr. Noshir H.Wadia.

The other Padma Bhushan Award Winners from the field of literature and education are: Dr.Jose Pereira, Dr.Homi K.Bhabha, Professor Arvind Panagariya, Professor Vidhya Daheja and Professor Shantaram Majumdar have been given Padma Bhushan.

The Padma Shri - the first Padma Award were conferred to 77 persons including music director Vanraj Bhatia, well-known vocalist Zia Fariddudin Dagar, playwright Motilal Kemmu, Sitar player Shahid Parvez Khan, Rajasthani folk singer Sakar Khan Manganiar and Bhajan singer Anup Jalota.