Twelve from Maharashtra chosen for Padma awards

Mumbai: Former Union minister and Uttar Pradesh governor Ram Naik, renowned music director Pyarelal and noted Marathi filmmaker Rajdutt are among the 12 personalities from Maharashtra selected for Padma awards this year.

Hormusji N Cama (literature and education-journalism), Ashwini Mehta (medicine), Ram Naik (public affairs), Dattatraya Ambadas Mayaloo, alias Rajdutt (art), Pyarelal Sharma (art) and Kundan Vyas (literature and education-journalism) will receive the Padma Bhushan.

The Padma Shri awardees from the state are Uday Deshpande (sports), Manohar Dole (medicine), Zahir Kazi (literature and education), Chandrashekar Meshram (medicine), Kalpana Morparia (trade and industry) and Shankar Baba Pundalikrao Papalkar (social work).

The highest civilian awards were announced by the Ministry of Home Affairs on the eve of the 75th Republic Day celebrations, on Thursday. The President has approved the conferment of 132 Padma Awards including five Padma Vibhushan, 17 Padma Bhushan and 110 Padma Shri Awards.

Naik (89) has represented the Mumbai North Lok Sabha Constituency for several years, served as the Union minister for petroleum and natural gas and held the position of governor of Uttar Pradesh.

Legendary music composer Pyarelal has a career of over seven decades with the late Laxmimant and was hailed as the king of melodies, while Marathi filmmaker Rajdutt (90) has made several films on patriotism and social issues over six decades.

Hormusji N Cama is a senior publisher and has been leading the Gujarati newspaper ‘Bombay Samachar’ for four decades.

Among the other Padma Bhushan winners from the state, Ashwin Mehta (84) is a distinguished interventional cardiologist who pioneered angiography in India, while Veteran journalist Kundan Vyas has been leading the media group Janmabhoomi for five decades.

Of those selected for Padma Shri from the state is Uday Deshpande, a veteran Mallakhamb coach known for revitalizing and promoting the sport across diverse groups and countries.

Manohar Dole (94) is an Ayurveda doctor who transformed healthcare for the marginalized across rural Maharashtra. He has conducted 1.75 lakh free eye surgeries.

Zahir Kazi is an educationist who worked to promote education, especially among minorities. He is the president of Anjuman I Islam and Allana Institute.

Chandrashekar Meshram is a neurologist known for championing brain health awareness. He is known for his contribution to neurological education and research.

Kalpana Morparia (74) is a veteran woman business leader from the Banking sector, while 81-year-old Shankar Baba Pundalikrao Papalkar is a divyang social worker from Amravati who has dedicated his life for the rehabilitation of the disabled, orphaned and destitute children.