Sat Jan 25 16:37:16 UTC 2025: ## 139 Eminent Personalities Awarded Padma Awards on Republic Day Eve

**New Delhi, January 25** – A total of 139 eminent personalities have been conferred with Padma Awards on the eve of India’s 76th Republic Day. The awards, announced by the Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA), comprise seven Padma Vibhushan, 19 Padma Bhushan, and 113 Padma Shri awards. This year’s recipients represent a diverse range of fields, including art, social work, public affairs, science, sports, and literature.

Among the notable recipients are former Chief Justice of India JS Khehar, who received the Padma Vibhushan. Posthumous Padma Vibhushan awards were also presented to late Suzuki chief Osamu Suzuki and folk singer Sharda Sinha. Other posthumous Padma Bhushan recipients include former Bihar deputy chief minister Sushil Modi, economist Bibek Debroy, and ghazal singer Pankaj Udhas. Filmmaker Shekhar Kapur and the late former Maharashtra chief minister and Lok Sabha speaker Manohar Joshi were also awarded the Padma Bhushan.

The Padma Shri list includes a diverse array of individuals, highlighting remarkable achievements across various sectors. This year’s recipients include former cricketer R Ashwin, former SBI chairperson Arundhati Bhattacharya, and Paralympic gold medalist Harvinder Singh. The list also features several inspiring stories, such as 100-year-old Goan freedom fighter Libia Lobo Sardesai and Gokul Chandra Dey, a dhak player from West Bengal who empowered 150 women in a male-dominated field. Sally Holkar, an American who dedicated decades to reviving the Maheshwari weaving tradition in Madhya Pradesh, was also recognized.

Twenty-three of the awardees are women, and the list includes ten foreigners, NRIs, PIOs, and OCIs, as well as 13 posthumous awards. The Padma awards recognize exceptional and distinguished service to the nation across diverse fields.

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