President Droupadi Murmu conferred 55 Padma Awards for the year 2023, at the second Civil Investiture Ceremony at Rashtrapati Bhavan last evening. She presented three Padma Vibhushan, five Padma Bhushan and 47 Padma Shri Awards.
Padma Vibhushan was given to ORS pioneer Dr Dilip Mahalanabis and former Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Mulayam Singh Yadav posthumously.
The President awarded Padma Bhushan to philanthropist Sudha Murthy, theoretical physicist Prof Deepak Dhar, Kannada author Dr. S.L. Bhyrappa and spiritual leader Tridandi Chinna Jeeyar Swamiji. Legendary singer Vani Jairam was given Padma Bhushan posthumously.
President Murmu also conferred Padma Shri awards on Music composer MM Keeravani, Water Conservationist Umashankar Pandey, Mathematician Sujatha Ramdorai, Educator Anand Kumar, and actress Raveena Tandon among others.
Social worker Gajanan Jagannath Mane who has devoted his life to the rehabilitation of leprosy-affected people and Ajay Kumar Mandavi who is actively involved in rehabilitating former Maoists through Wood Carving Art were also given Padma Shri.