After Sandhya Mukherjee, Tabla maestro Pandit Anindo Chaterjee also declines Padma Shri

Jan. 26: The Union government revealed the name of the Padma awardees a day before the Republic Day celebrations in line with the annual traditions. A total of 128 personalities are on this year’s list of Padma honours.

On Tuesday, Legendary playback singer and musician Sandhya Mukherjee refused the central government’s offer to confer Padma Shri award on her. Former West Bengal Chief Minister and veteran CPI(M) leader Buddhadeb Bhattacharjee also refused Padma Bhushan award on Tuesday.

Eminent tabla player Pandit Anindo Chatterjee declined to receive the Padma Shri honour. Chatterjee is the second person from Bengal’s vibrant musical world who was offered the Padma award this year but refused it. A disciple of Pandit Jnan Prakash Ghosh, he has performed at the Rashtrapati Bhavan in the past and was the youngest tabla player to perform in the British Parliament’s House of Commons in 1989. He received Sangeet Natak Academy award in 2002. “Many of my contemporaries and juniors were given Padma Shri years ago. Anyway, I said with all humbleness, that I am sorry but I cannot accept it now,” he stated.

Padma Awards – one of the highest civilian Awards of the country, are conferred in three categories, namely, Padma Vibhushan, Padma Bhushan and Padma Shri. The 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. ‘Padma Vibhushan’ is awarded for exceptional and distinguished service; ‘Padma Bhushan’ for distinguished service of high order and ‘Padma Shri’ for distinguished service in any field. The awards are announced on the occasion of Republic Day every year.

These awards are conferred by the President of India at ceremonial functions which are held at Rashtrapati Bhawan usually around March/ April every year. This year the President has approved conferment of 128 Padma Awards including 2 duo case (in a duo case, the Award is counted as one). The list comprises 4 Padma Vibhushan, 17 Padma Bhushan and 107 Padma Shri Awards.  34 of the awardees are women and the list also includes 10 persons from the category of Foreigners/ NRI/PIO/ OCI and 13 Posthumous awardees.

Also Read: Singer Sandhya Mukherjee & former West Bengal CM Buddhadeb Bhattacharjee refuses Padma awards