President Mukherjee presents Padma awards to 56 personalities

New Delhi: President Pranab Mukherjee presented the Padma awards to 56 distinguished personalities from various fields at a ceremony at the Rashtrapati Bhavan here on Tuesday.

Superstar Rajnikanth, classical singer Girija Devi, journalist and film maker Ramoji Rao, oncologist Dr. V Shanta and scientist Dr. Vasudev Kalkunte Aatre were honoured with the Padma Vibhushan

Former US diplomat Robert Dean Blackwill, Chinmaya Mission chief Swami Tejomayananda, singer Udit Narayan, theater personality Heisnam Kanhailal and tennis star Sania Mirza were among those honoured with the Padma Bhushan.

Lawyer Ujjwal Nikam, textile designer Sribhas Supakar, actor Priyanka Chopra, aports commentator Sushil Doshi, writer Dhirendra Nath Bezbaruah and environment preserver Simon Oraon were among others who received the Padma Shri.

Vice President Mohammed Hamid Ansari, Prime Minister Narendra Modi, Lok Sabha Speaker Sumitra Mahajan and Union Home Minister Rajnath Singh were among the dignitaries present on the occasion. (ANI)