Political bigwigs and marquee names from cultural, sports, judicial, bureaucratic and scientific communities recommended names for 2013 Padma awards, according to a home ministry document released under the Right to Information.
Earlier, the home ministry had refused to go public with the names of dignitaries who had recommended candidates for the Padma awards. The Central Information Commission, however, rejected the home ministry stand on an appeal by RTI activist Subhash Chandra Agarwal and told the government that it should have, in the first instance, made the list public on its own.
Union ministers Sushilkumar Shinde, Salman Khurshid, Rajiv Shukla, Sriprakash Jaiswal, Kishore Chandra Deo, Harish Rawat, Congress treasurer Motilal Vora, Chhattisgarh chief minister Raman Singh, music maestros Pandit Jasraj and Ustad Amjad Ali Khan were among those who recommended names for Padma awards.
Actor Nagma’s name was recommended by Congress MPs Motilal Vora, Vilas Muttemwar, Mohammed Azharuddin and T Subbarami Reddy, PCI chairman Markandey Katju, NCM chairman Wajahat Habibullah and the government of Maharashtra. But, she didn’t get the award.
Ustad Amjad Ali Khan, a Padma Vibhushan awardee himself, recommended at least half a dozen persons, including his Sarod player sons, Amaan and Ayaan Ali Khan. Bharat Ratna singer Lata Mangeshkar’s recommendations included her younger sister Usha Mangeshkar.Actor Sridevi, who was awarded Padma Shri this year, was recommended by Congress Rajya Sabha member T Subbarami Reddy.
{{/usCountry}}Ustad Amjad Ali Khan, a Padma Vibhushan awardee himself, recommended at least half a dozen persons, including his Sarod player sons, Amaan and Ayaan Ali Khan. Bharat Ratna singer Lata Mangeshkar’s recommendations included her younger sister Usha Mangeshkar.Actor Sridevi, who was awarded Padma Shri this year, was recommended by Congress Rajya Sabha member T Subbarami Reddy.
{{/usCountry}}Former Indian cricket captain Rahul Dravid and cricketer Gautam Gambhir got recommendations from BCCI secretary Sanjay Jagdale and the sports ministry. Dravid and Gambhir were awarded Padma Bhushan and Padma Shri, respectively.