Centre shortlists 155 candidates for Padma awards

Centre shortlists 155 candidates for Padma awards NEW DELHI: The Union Home Ministry has shortlisted the names of as many as 155 candidates for the Padma awards this year at a high level meeting last week even as the thrust this year will be to honour “unsung heroes” from the social sector or those involved in the cause of national integration for decades together.  A top Union Home Ministry

official said the credentials of the candidates are being verified by the Intelligence and security agencies and 25-30 names are likely to be dropped after final vetting.

Since the applications for the coveted awards were only made online, a lot of names of unsung heroes especially from the social sector have made it most to the list of the candidates finalised at the meeting held on January 5, the official said, after the security clearance, final list of 120-125 persons will drawn for approval by the Competent Authority. 

Citing an example, the official said, a person who has been working for promotion of Hindi in Kerala for the last about 50 years has made it to the list. Besides, a number of innovators from various fields have also been recognised in the list.

Apart from the Cabinet Secretary, Union Home Secretary, Secretary of the President and two other officials of the Home Ministry, Prasar Bharti Chairman A Surya Prakash, seasoned film actor Waheeda Rehman and economist S Gurumurthy and an education administrator are members of the 9-member Awards Selection Committee for the finalisation of the candidates for the top civilian awards this year, the official said. 

“The thrust of the selection this year has been on candidates who have a distinctive track record and genuine involvement with public service including long association with development of language or decades of experience in the area of national integration. This was the first that the applications were invited from the public and their views have been given due weightage,” the official further said.

Public figures who have been associated with the areas or issues that have been raised by Prime Minister Narendra Modi during his radio programme Mann ki Baat have also been duly given prominence in the list of the shortlisted candidates, the official added.