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I'm over 80': Actor Anil Kumar Rastogi slams trolls over awkward moment with PM Modi at Padma awards
Renowned actor and scientist Dr Anil Kumar Rastogi was on Tuesday awarded the Padma Shri for his contributions to the arts and sciences.
Well known actor Dr Anil Kumar Rastogi on Wednesday answered back at comments by those he described as making fun of an awkward greeting moment with Prime Minister Narendra Modi at the Padma awards ceremony on Tuesday, where President Droupadi Murmu conferred him with the prestigious Padma Shri.
The actor's response came under a post by Trinamool Congress (TMC) spokesperson Saket Gokhale, who decoded the moment as “Modi’s event management fail”.
Gokhale made the remark as a caption with a video that showed Dr Rastogi walking to the stage to receive his Padma Shri and greeting PM Modi with folded hands midway, missing the handshake that the prime minister appeared to initiate.
Anil Kumar Rastogi hits back at trolls
As more reactions to the video surfaced, the 80-year-old Padma Shri recipient took to social media to hit back at the trolls, emphasising that he has huge respect for the prime minister.
“For all those making fun, I’m a man of 80+ years, this was an oversight on my part due to my age. I have huge respect for our PM and feel that he is the best choice we currently have for running the country!” he said, reacting to the post by Saket Gokhale.
Dr Anil Kumar Rastogi has been honoured with Padma Shri for his immense contribution in theatre, cinema, radio, and television. He has staged around 1000 shows of hundred plays, worked in over 75 feature films, 500 episodes of TV shows, according to a government release.
He is also an accomplished scientist with over 78 co-authored research publications and a passionate philanthropist for destitute patients.
Apart from Dr Rastogi, President conferred the prestigious Padma awards to several other eminent personalities, including Tennis legend Vijay Amritraj, actors Mammootty and Satish Shah, cricketer Rohit Sharma, and playback singer Alka Yagnik.
On Republic Day eve, the government had announced 131 Padma awards including two duo cases (in a duo case, the award is counted as one). The awards included five Padma Vibhushan, 13 Padma Bhushan and 113 Padma Shri.
The President had conferred 65 Padma awards -- two Padma Vibhushan, six Padma Bhushan and 57 Padma Shri in the first civil investiture ceremony held on May 25. The remaining 65 awards (including a duo) were presented during the second civil investiture ceremony at the Ganatantra Mandap of Rashtrapati Bhavanceremony on Tuesday.
