New Delhi: President Ram Nath Kovind Monday presented Padma Awards at the Rashtrapati Bhawan. The 2021 list comprises 7 Padma Vibhushan, 10 Padma Bhushan, and 102 Padma Shri Awards, of which 29 awardees are women, 16 Posthumous awardees, and 1 transgender awardee. Among the awardees today was Gujarati actress Sarita Joshi, Gujarati humorist Shahbuddin Rathod, Gujarati Parsi theater artist Yazdi Karanjia, Nadiad based educationist HM Desai, Gujarati businessman Gafurbhai Bilakhia and Gujarat based IIT Gandhinagar Director Sudhir Jain.

Padma Vibhushan, the second highest civilian honour, has been awarded to former Defence Minister George Fernandes, former Finance Minister Arun Jaitley, former External Affairs Minister Sushma Swaraj. All these awards are being conferred posthumously.

PV Sindhu, Adnan Sami, Pandit Chhannulal Mishra were also conferred with Padma Awards today.

#PresidentKovind confers the Padma Shri on veteran theatre and television artist Sarita Joshi#PresidentKovind #PeoplesPadma pic.twitter.com/W0O6DJSeCz

— PIB India (@PIB_India) November 8, 2021

The Padma Awards are given in various disciplines/ fields of activities, viz.- art, social work, public affairs, science and engineering, trade and industry, medicine, literature and education, sports, civil service, etc. And the Padma Bhushan awards are given for distinguished service of a high order.

The Padma Awards are one of the highest civilian honours of India announced annually on the eve of Republic Day. The Awards are given in three categories: Padma Vibhushan (for exceptional and distinguished service), Padma Bhushan (distinguished service of higher order) and Padma Shri (distinguished service). The award seeks to recognise achievements in all fields of activities or disciplines where an element of public service is involved.