‘When Your Tapasya Is Successful, You Feel Very Good’

It was a beautiful Monday for many film folk, as they were conferred with Padma Awards at the Rashtrapati Bhavan by President Droupadi Murmu.

The awards are among India’s highest civilian honours and recognise outstanding work in various fields.

Some of the awardees are: Actor Anant Nag got the Padma Bhushan, Actor Mamata Shankar got the Padma Shri, Singer Mahabir Nayak received the Padma Shri, Music Composer Ricky Kej was given the Padma Shri, Actor Ashok Saraf got the Padma Shri and Singer Arijit Singh was given the Padma Shri.

Photograph: ANI Photo

Singer Jaspinder Narula receives the Padma Shri award from President Droupadi Murmu.

‘It was only due to the blessings of Babaji, our Prime Minister @narendramodi ji, the selection committee, my parents, my friends & fans that I could see this day! Wish my parents were alive to witness. Thank you everyone who has contributed in my 50years of professional journey,’ she says gratefully.

“When your ‘tapasya’ is successful, you feel very good. The experience you gain, the love and respect you receive — I did not know that it would be like this… I have received immense love from my audience, fans, family, and acquaintances. But I am grateful and indebted to the Almighty and all of you for the love and respect I have received after the announcement,” said Narula.

Photograph: ANI Photo

Ajith Kumar gets honoured with the Padma Bhushan award.

Ajith had expressed his gratitude in a statement in January when the awards were announced, and he added, ‘I wish my late father had lived to see this day. Yet, I like to think he would be proud that his spirit and legacy live on in all that I do. I want to thank my mother for her unconditional love and the sacrifices that enabled me to become all that I could be.’

Photograph: ANI Photo

Shekhar Kapur receives the Padma Bhushan award.

‘Am humbled that the Government of India has considered me to be deserving of a #Padmanbhushan. Hopefully this award will make me strive harder to serve the Industry that I am part of, and the beautiful Nation that I am so fortunate to belong to. Thank you also to our film audiences of India, for I am because you are.’

Photograph: ANI Photo

Pankaj Udhas was conferred Padma Bhushan posthumously, and he wife, Farida Udhas accepted it on his behalf.

When the awards were announced on January 26, Pankaj Udhas’ older daughter Nayaab Udhas had said, “It’s a bitter-sweet moment for us as today marks 11 months since our father left for his heavenly abode. We are really proud of him. He is not here with us today to see this win but I am grateful to the government and all those people who have acknowledged his work.”

Photograph: ANI Photo

Veteran actor and Andhra Pradesh MLA Nandamuri Balakrishna is ‘overjoyed’ on becoming a Padma Bhushan recipient.

“I am overjoyed and thankful to my fans,” he said.

“I also thank the Government of India. In 50 years of my career, my work as an MLA, my hospital is one of the five big hospitals in the country, and this is a matter of great joy. I thank everyone. People told me that I should have been awarded the Padma award much earlier, but I told them that the timing is right because I gave four hit films. It has been 15 years since I became the Chairman of Cancer Hospital, and I have completed 50 years as an actor.”

Photograph: ANI Photo

Renowned violinist Lakshminarayana Subramaniam gets honoured with the Padma Vibhushan and his wife, the veteran singer Kavita Krishnamurthy, escorted him at the ceremony.

“More than anything, I think this is an award for all the violinists because this is the first time a violinist is getting Padma Vibhushan. Music has given me everything,” he said.

He has composed music for films like Salaam Bombay, Mississippi Masala, Little Buddha and Cotton Mary.

Photographs curated by Manisha Kotian/Rediff