[dropcap]O[/dropcap]N the eve of the Republic Day, the Government of India announced that the President of India this year has approved conferment of 141 Padma Awards including 4 duo cases (in a duo case, the Award is counted as one).
The list comprises 7 Padma Vibhushan, 16 Padma Bhushan and 118 Padma Shri Awards. 34 of the awardees are women and the list also includes 18 persons from the category of Foreigners/NRI/PIO/OCI and 12 Posthumous awardees.
Former union ministers Arun Jaitley, Sushma Swaraj and George Fernandes, have been posthumously awarded Padma Vibhushan, India's second-highest civilian honour.
Former Goa Chief Minister Late Manohar Parrikar has been honoured with Padma Bhushan, the third-highest civilian award along with Late Prof N Professor N R Madhava Menon.
Bollywood personalities – Ekta Kapoor, Karan Johar, Kangana Ranaut and Adnan Sami- are among the Padma Shri awardees.