PADMA VIBHUSHAN-2014

PADMA VIBHUSHAN-2014

Noted scientist RA Mashelkar and yoga guru BKS Iyengar were today chosen for this year's Padma Vibhushan, the second highest civilian honour, while cine star Kamal Haasan, author Ruskin Bond and late former Chief Justice JS Verma were selected for Padma Bhushan.National badminton coach P Gopichand, tennis player Leander Paes, writer Anita Desai and Tamil lyricist and writer Vairamuthu were also picked for Padma Bhushan while cricketer Yuvraj Singh and cine stars Paresh Rawal and Vidya Balan were selected for Padma Shri.In all, the government announced 127 Padma awards which had no Bharat Ratna this time with cricketer Sachin Tendulkar and noted scientist CNR Rao having been named for this top civilian honour only two months ago.The list included 2 Padma Vibhushans, 24 Padma Bhushans and 101 Padma Shri awardees. They included 27 women and seven foreigners which included NRIs and PIOs.

Three awardees got the honour in the posthumous category and they included NA Dabholkar, an anti-superstition campaigner who was shot dead in Pune last year.The Padma Shri awardees also included Union Minister Sharad Pawar's brother Pratap Govindrao Pawar.The 71-year-old Mashelkar, a former Director General of the Council of Scientific and Industrial Research (CSIR), had played a crucial role in evolving science and technology policies in post-liberalised India.95-year-old Iyengar, who was named once by Time magazine as one of the 100 most influential persons, had spread yoga across the globe including in countries like China.59-year-old Haasan was selected for Padma Bhushan for his contribution to the world of cinema. A recipient of Padma Shri in 1990, the actor-director has starred in various hit movies, mainly in Tamil. Haasan in a career spanning more than five decades, has over 190 films to his credit, across genres and languages like Tamil, Hindi, Telugu, Kannada and Malayalam.His most famous work is in Tamil cinema in films like 'Moondram Pirai' and 'Nayagan'. Haasan has also given memorable hits in Bollywood like 'Hey Ram', 'Sadma', 'Chachi 420' and 'Ek Duje Ke Liye'.

Verma, who pronounced the judgement in the famous Vishakha case after which guidelines to prevent harrassement of women at work place was laid, was selected for the award posthumously.He headed a three-member commission tasked with reforming anti-rape laws after the infamous December 16, 2012 Delhi gang-rape case.Bangladeshi national Anisuzzaman, an eminent academician of Bengali literature, was also selected for the third highest civilian award.Singer Parveen Sultana, 63, a classical singer of the Patiala Gharana was among the Padma Bhushan awardees.In the field of sports, Tennis star Leander Paes and badminton player-turned-coach Pullela Gopichand were selected for Padma Bhushan.40-year-old Paes, who had earlier being conferred Rajiv Gandhi Khel Ratna and Arjuna Awards, is the most successful tennis player of the country with 14 Grand Slam titles - eight men's doubles and six mixed doubles.Gopichand, one of the finest badminton player to have emerged from the country, is the second renowned sports personality to have been conferred with the Padma Bhushan honour this year.He was conferred the Arjuna Award in 1999, Khel Ratna in 2001, Padma Shri in 2005 and Dronacharya in 2009 in a glittering career both as a player and a coach.

Gulam Mohammed Sheikh, who hails from Gujarat and is a renowned painter and art-conossieur, has been selected for Padma Bhushan for his contribution in the field of art.He had previously been awarded Padma Shri in 1983.77-year-old Sheikh has also penned down several poems and books on various subjects related to arts.
He was also conferred with Kalidas Samman by Madhya Pradesh Government in 2002.71-year-old V N Kaul, who was Comptroller and Auditor General (CAG) between 2002-08, has been awarded Padma Shri for his contribution in the field of civil services.A former IAS officer of Madhya Pradesh cadre, Kaul held various positions in the central government.He had served as secretaries in ministries of coal, chemicals and fertilizers and petroleum and natural gas. Kaul, who has a Masters Degree in History from St Stephens' College of Delhi University, hails from Jammu and Kashmir.

Renowned novelist Anita Desai has been chosen for this year's Padma Bhushan for her contribution in the field of literature and education. 76-year-old Desai, who was born in Mussoorie in Uttarakhand, had done Bachelor of Arts (English Literature) from Delhi University.Desai was shortlisted thrice for Booker Prize. She has been conferred with Sahitya Akademi Award in 1978 and the Guardian Prize for 'The Village by the Sea'.She has been selected for Padma Bhushan for her contribution in the field of literature and education.Noted cricketer Yuvraj Singh was among 101 selected for this year's Padma Shri. Not in the Indian team of late because of bad form, 32-year-old Yuvraj, a dashing left-handed middle-order batsman and a utility left-arm spinner, was a vital member of India's limited overs scheme of things.He was crucial to India's triumphs in the inaugural Twenty20 World Cup in 2007 in South Africa and the 2011 ODI World Cup at home.National award-winning actress Vidya Balan, 36, has been selected for Padma Shri, India's fourth highest civilian award. She is known for portraying strong female protagonists in films like 'Paa', 'Ishqiya', 'No One Killed Jessica', 'The Dirty Picture' and 'Kahaani'.

Veteran Bollywood actor Paresh Rawal, also a Padma Shri awardee, has starred in films like 'Road to Sangam', 'Oh My God', 'Hera Pheri', 'Sir' and 'Sardar'.Social worker J L Kaul has been chosen for Padma Shri for his contribution in social work. Kaul is Secretary General of All India Confederation of the Blind (AICB), an NGO.Kaul has been working for empowerment of visually-challenged children, men and women for decades.
Renowned theatre personality from Jammu and Kashmir Bansi Kaul has been selected for this year's Padma Shri.64-year-old Kaul, who was born in Srinagar, graduated from National School of Drama (NSD). He has also been chosen Sangeet Natak Akademi Award.Tashi Tondup, who also hails from Jammu and Kashmir, has also been given Padma Shri for his contribution in the field of public affairs.

Prof. John Kurakar