New Delhi: Veteran Congress leader and former Jammu and Kashmir Chief Minister was today awarded Padma Bhushan on the eve of Republic Day.
Former Uttar Pradesh chief minister and Hindutva poster boy late Kalyan Singh and India’s first Chief of Defence Staff General Bipin Rawat who died in a helicopter crash recently were awarded Padma Vibhushan on Tuesday, while besides Azad, former West Bengal CM and CPI(M) leader Buddhadeb Bhattacharjee was given Padma Bhushan.
According to the Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA), the President approved conferment of 128 Padma Awards, including two duo cases, this year. In a duo case, the award is counted as one.
The list comprises 4 Padma Vibhushan, 17 Padma Bhushan and 107 Padma Shri awards. Thirty-four of the awardees are women and the list also includes 10 persons from the category of Foreigners/NRI/PIO/OCI and 13 posthumous awardees.
