New Delhi: Late Samajwadi Party patron Mulayam Singh Yadav, late ORS pioneer Dilip Mahalanabis, musician Zakir Hussain, SM Krishna, Balkrishna Doshi and Srinivas Varadhan are the six eminent personalities who will receive Padma Vibhushan award this year.
As many as 25 other personalities from various walks of life will be receiving the Padma Shri.
The government in a statement on the eve of the 74th Republic Day said Mahalanabis' efforts led to widespread use of oral rehydration system, or ORS, which is "estimated to have saved over five crore lives globally."
According to the government statement, he demonstrated the effectiveness of ORS while serving in refugee camps during the 1971 Bangladesh Liberation War, having returned from the US to serve.
Notably, ORS is a simple effective ingenious solution due to which the world has seen 93 per cent reduction in deaths by diarrhoea, cholera and dehydration, especially in infants and children.
The others are Kapil Dev Prasad, Bawan Buti Handloom Weaver from Nalanda who will receive Padma Shri in the field of Art (Textile), Paresh Rathwa, Pithora Artist from Chhota Udepur, promoting the ancient cultural heritage, to receive Padma Shri in the field of Art (Painting), Bhanubhai Chitara, 7th generation Kalamkari artist from the Chunara community, carrying forward the legacy of the 400-year-old traditional craft of Mata ni Pachedi (behind Mother Goddess) to receive Padma Shri in the field of Art (Painting), Ghulam Muhammad Zaz, 8th Generation Santoor Craftsman from a family known for making the finest Santoors in Kashmir for the last 200 years to receive Padma Shri in the field of Art (Craft), Parshuram Komaji Khune, Zadipatti Rangbhumi artist from Gadchiroli, having played 800 different roles in more than 5,000 drama shows to receive Padma Shri in the field of Art (Theatre).
Domar Singh Kunvar, Chhattisgarhi Natya Nacha Artist, dedicated his life to keeping the tradition alive since last 5 decades will receive Padma Shri in the field of Art (Dance), Munivenkatappa, Veteran Thamate exponent from Chikkaballapur, working tirelessly towards the preservation and promotion of the folk instrument Thamate to receive Padma Shri in the field of Art (Folk Music), Moa Subong, Eminent Naga Musician & Innovator who developed a new and easy to play instrument ‘Bamhum’, a wind musical instrument made from bamboo to receive Padma Shri in the field of Art (Folk Music), Mangala Kanti Roy, 102-year-old Sarinda Player from Jalpaiguri, popular as one of the oldest folk musicians of West Bengal to receive Padma Shri in the field of Art (Folk Music), Risingbor Kurkalang, Tribal Duitara Instrument Maker & Musician from East Khasi Hills to receive Padma Shri in the field of Art (Folk Music), are among the list of 26 Padma awardees.