Legendary Singer Sandhya Mukherjee, 90, Refuses Padma Shri Award. Says It’s Too Late

Many known personalities from the entertainment industry including Sonu Nigam and others, will be conferred with the Padma Shri and Padma Bhushan Awards this year.

A file image of legendary singer Sandhya Mukherjee at an event in Kolkata in 2013 | Photo: Getty

New Delhi: Legendary playback singer and musician Sandhya Mukherjee, who is immensely popular in the Bengali music industry, has refused the central government's offer to confer Padma Shri award on her, it is learnt.

The central government recently released the list of the Padma awardees, ahead of India’s 73rd Republic Day celebrations. Many known personalities from the entertainment industry will be conferred the Padma awards.

Singer Sandhya Mukherjee was one of the personalities whose name was on the list of personalities chosen for the prestigious honour this year. However, the 90-year-old singer has refused to accept the honour as she feels that it is too late for her. “Does anyone give Padma Shri this way? They do not know who I am! Should I take Padma Shri at the age of 90? And will I accept the honour just with a phone call? There is no respect for artistes anymore,” the singer was quoted saying in a Anandabazar Patrika report. 

There was pain and despair in Sandhya Mukherjee's voice as he spoke over the phone, the report said. She said: “I have said, I don’t need Padma Shri. The audience is all mine.”

In the year 1970, Sandhya Mukherjee received the National Award for Best Singer for her songs in the film ‘Jay Jayanti’ and ‘Nishipadma’. The Bengal government also honoured Sandhya Mukherjee with Banga Bibhushan.

Earlier, popular singer and composer Hemanta Kumar, popular as Hemanta Mukhopadhyay in Bengal, had also rejected the prestigious Padma awards conferred on him. The singer had refused both Padma Shri and Padma Bhushan, according to reports.

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