NEW DELHI: On the eve of Republic Day, the Modi government on Tuesday announced a 128-civilian strong Padma awards, recognising their distinguished talents and works over the last few decades.
Among the top honours, late Chief of Defence Staff (CDS) Bipin Rawat and former Uttar Pradesh chief minister Kalyan Singh, both of whom passed away last year, have been awarded the Padma Vibhushan posthumously.
कल्याण सिंह जी ने अपना पूरा जीवन देशहित में समर्पित किया। उत्तर प्रदेश के मुख्यमंत्री रहते हुए उन्होंने जनता को एक भय मुक्त और जन-कल्याणकारी शासन दिया।
आज @NarendraModi जी द्वारा उन्हें पद्म विभूषण से सम्मानित करना, बाबूजी के राष्ट्र समर्पित विराट जीवन को सच्ची श्रद्धांजलि है।
— Amit Shah (@AmitShah) January 25, 2022
It was Singh who famously, after 1992 Babri demolition — the land of birthplace of Lord Rama — said ,”Dhanche ka tootne ka na koi pashchatap hai, na koi khed hai. No sorrow, no grief, no repentance. He had also said, that he would take entire blame always on himself of the demolition to protect the site of Lord Ram.
Bharat Biotech proprietors Dr Krishna Ella and Dr Suchetra Ella, who led India’s vaccine R&D against Covid by making first indigenous counter jab COVAXIN, have been awarded Padma Bhushan. Serum Institute of India properietor Cyrus Poonawala has also been awarded Padma Bhushan.
Among the others to get Padma Bhushans are Congress leader and former Rajya Sabha MP and Union health minister Ghulam Nabi Azad, Microsoft CEO Satya Nadella, Alphabet CEO Sundar Pichai.
Olympians Neeraj Chopra, Pramod Bhagat and Vandana Kataria, and singer Sonu Nigam are among the prominent names who have been awarded the Padma Shri.
Kalyan Singh, who passed away last year, was a popular OBC leader in Uttar Pradesh and was one of the leading proponents of the Ram Mandir movement which had swept the state in the late 80s and 90s. The move to honour him with Padma Vibhushan might help the Bhartiya Janata Party in Uttar Pradesh where the assembly polls are scheduled to take place between February 10 to March 7.
Former CDS Rawat belonged to Uttarakhand and this is also one of the five states that are going to polls.