India’s first military chief General Bipin Rawat, Microsoft CEO Satya Nadella, Google’s Sundar Pichai and two Covid vaccine makers have been named for this year’s coveted Padma awards.
While General Rawat’s name will be awarded Padma Vibhushan posthumously, Nadella, Pichai and Covid jab makers — Cyrus Poonawalla of the Serum Institute and Krishna and Suchitra Ella of Bharat Biotech — are among the Padma Bhushan awardees this year.
The Padma awards seek to recognise achievements in all fields of activities or disciplines where an element of public service is involved. Padma Vibhushan is India’s second-highest civilian award after Bharat Ratna. Padma Bhushan is the third-highest civilian award.
Every year, the Indian government announces the awards on the eve of the country’s Republic Day, on January 26. The awards are given by the Indian President in March or April at a grand function at Rashtrapati Bhawan.
General Rawat, his wife, and 12 other armed forces personnel were killed in a chopper crash in the southern state of Tamil Nadu in December last year.
The 63-year-old four-star General was on his way to deliver a lecture at Defence Services Staff College in Wellington when the Mi-17 V5 chopper crashed in the Nilgiris and burst into flames. While 13 people on board were killed on the spot, an Air Force officer died later.
General Rawat has had a chequered career in the armed forces spanning over 40 years, rising from the rank of a junior commissioned officer to the Indian Army chief and eventually the first head of the tri-services. He reported directly to the Indian Prime Minister.
Indian-Americans, Nadella (54) and Pichai (49) have been honoured for their contribution in the “trade and industry” category, the government said in a statement. On the other hand, the vaccine makers will be conferred with the award for being in the frontline amid Covid.
A total of 128 people will be awarded the Padma awards this year.
Source: United News of Bangladesh