Singer Sonu Nigam has been conferred with a Padma Shri, the fourth-highest civilian award in India. The Padma awards were announced on the eve of Republic Day in a statement issued by the Union Home Ministry. A total of 107 eminent personalities were honoured with the Padma Shri, including Olympic gold medalist Neeraj Chopra.
Sonu Nigam is one of the most popular singers in Hindi cinema, and has also lent his voice to songs in several other languages. He has also been a celebrity judge, music director and actor. Nigam is considered one of the most popular and influential singers of India.
Padma Awards, one of the highest civilian Awards of the country, are conferred in three categories, namely, Padma Vibhushan, Padma Bhushan and Padma Shri. The Awards are given in various disciplines/ fields of activities, viz.- art, social work, public affairs, science and engineering, trade and industry, medicine, literature and education, sports, civil service, etc.
Padma Vibhushan’ is awarded for exceptional and distinguished service; ‘Padma Bhushan’ for distinguished service of high order and ‘Padma Shri’ for distinguished service in any field. The awards are announced on the occasion of Republic Day every year.
These awards are conferred by the President of India at ceremonial functions which are held at Rashtrapati Bhawan usually around March/ April every year. This year the President has approved conferment of 128 Padma Awards including 2 duo case (in a duo case, the Award is counted as one) as per list below. The list comprises 4 Padma Vibhushan,
17 Padma Bhushan and 107 Padma Shri Awards. 34 of the awardees are women and the list also includes 10 persons from the category of Foreigners/NRI/PIO/OCI and 13 Posthumous awardees.
