President Ram Nath Kovind has approved conferment of 128 Padma Awards, including 2 duo case (in a duo case, the Award is counted as one). The list comprises four Padma Vibhushan, 17 Padma Bhushan and 107 Padma Shri Awards, the Union Home Affairs Ministry stated.
As many as 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.
The 107 Padma Shri Awardees included three from Manipur - Lourembam Bino Devi (Art), Muktamani Devi (Trade and Industry) and Konsam Ibomcha Singh (Art).
Two from Assam and one each from Meghalaya, Nagaland, Sikkim, Mizoram and Arunachal Pradesh were also listed for the Padma Shri Awards.
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; while ‘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.
