Kerala shines in Padma glory; Padma Vibhushan for VS, Padma Bhushan for Mammootty and Vellappally

NEW DELHI: Kerala is standing proud after the Padma Awards announcement on the occasion of the 77th Republic Day. The late former Chief Minister VS Achuthanandan and former Supreme Court Justice KT Thomas were awarded the Padma Vibhushan, the country's second-highest civilian award. VS will be awarded the Padma Vibhushan posthumously. Late Bollywood actor Dharmendra has also been awarded the Padma Vibhushan posthumously.

Malayalam megastar Mammootty and SNDP Yogam General Secretary Vellappally Natesan were awarded the Padma Bhushan. The country honours these prominent personalities for their unparalleled contributions in various fields.

Former Indian cricket team captain Rohit Sharma and K Vijayakumar, who led the hunt for Veerappan, will also be awarded the Padma Shri.

Alappuzha native MS Devakiyamma has received the Padma Shri award. This year, 45 people have been awarded the Padma Shri in the Unsung Heroes category. Nilgiri native R Krishnan, a painter from the Kurumba tribe, was awarded the Padma Shri posthumously.

Devakiyamma's achievement is a reflection of the changes introduced in the Padma Awards after the Narendra Modi government came to power. Devakiyamma was included in the 'Unsung Heroes' category, which was introduced to honour those who perform silent service outside the world of fame.

Anke Gowda (Karnataka), Armida Fernandes (Maharashtra), Bhagwadas Raikwar (Madhya Pradesh), Brij Lal Bhat (Jammu and Kashmir), Budri Thati (Chhattisgarh), Charan Hembram (Odisha), Chiranji Lal Yadav (Uttar Pradesh), Dharmik Lal Chunilal (Gujarat) and others were also awarded the Padma Shri.