Kajol, Tabu, Shashi Kapoor to receive Padma awards

Bollywood actors Kajol, Tabu and Irrfan Khan, sportspersons VVS Laxman, Gagan Narang and Sushil Kumar and corporate tycoons like Azim Premji are among the 128 recipients of the Padma awards for 2010 approved by the President of India.

The names were announced on Tuesday ahead of Republic Day.

Yesteryear actors Waheeda Rahman and Shashi Kapoor also made it to the list while painter Arpita Singh, vocalist Ajoy Chakraborty and pop singer Usha Uthup are other notable recipients.
Padma Awards, the country's highest civilian awards, are conferred in three categories, namely, Padma Vibhushan, Padma Bhushan and Padma Shri. '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. The awards are conferred by the President of India at a function held at Rashtrapati Bhawan sometime around March/ April.

This year the President has approved 128 awards including one duo case (counted as one) and 12 in the category of Foreigners/ NRIs/ PIOs/ Posthumous.

These comprise 13 Padma Vibhushan, 31 Padma Bhushan and 84 Padma Shri Awards. There are 31 ladies among the awardees.

Actors Kajol, Tabu (Tabassum Hashmi Khan), Irrfan Khan , south actor Jayaram Subramaniam alongwith singer Usha Uthup, classical singer Pandit Ajoy Chakraborty, Kannada filmmaker Girish Kasaravalli Malayalam director Shaji Karun will receive Padma Shri.

While veteran actors Shashi Kapoor, Waheeda Rehman, 83-year-old music composer Khayyam and Kannad singer Rudrapatna Krishna Shastry Srikantan and playback singer & music director Dr. Sripathi Panditharadhyula Balasubrahmanyam will be conferred with Padma Bhushan

Actor A Nageshwara Rao has been chosen for Padma Vibhushan.