Former Union Minister Ram Vilas Paswan was awarded the Padma Bhushan, posthumously on Tuesday. The award was received by his son Chirag Paswan.
Also, veteran sculptor Sudarshan Sahoo was conferred with the Padma Vibhushan.
Sudarshan Sahoo is an artist from Odisha. He has earlier been honoured with Padma Shri and Dharmapada awards for his contribution to art.
Rahibai Soma Popere, a tribal farmer, received the Padma Shri Award, in the field of agriculture, from President Ram Nath Kovind on Monday.
Popere, also known as the 'seed mother', is a farmer from Mahadeo Koli, a tribal community from the Ahmednagar district of Maharashtra.
Mohammad Shareef, a social worker, also received the Padma Shri award from President Kovind on Monday.
Shareef, a cycle mechanic turned social worker, performs the last rites of unclaimed dead bodies.
President Ram Nath Kovind is presenting Padma Awards at 2021 Civil Investiture Ceremony-I at Rashtrapati Bhavan on Tuesday.
This year's list of Padma Awards includes seven Padma Vibhushan, 10 Padma Bhushan, and 102 Padma Shri Awards, of which 29 awardees are women, 16 posthumous awardees, and one transgender awardee.
The Padma Awards are one of the highest civilian honours of India announced annually on the eve of Republic Day. The Awards are given in three categories: Padma Vibhushan (for exceptional and distinguished service), Padma Bhushan (distinguished service of higher order) and Padma Shri (distinguished service). The award seeks to recognize achievements in all fields of activities or disciplines where an element of public service is involved.
The Padma Awards are conferred on the recommendations made by the Padma Awards Committee, which is constituted by the Prime Minister every year.
