When Padma Awards were announced this time, the pride of Malayalam also skyrocketed. The country posthumously honored beloved writer M T Vasudevan Nair with the Padma Vibhushan, actress Shobhana, hockey player P R Sreejesh, and renowned heart surgeon Jose Chacko Periyapuram with the Padma Bhushan, and football player I M Vijayan, musician K Omanakutty, senior advocate of the Supreme Court C S Vaidyanathan from Palakkad, and mridangam exponent Guruvayur Durai with the Padma Shri.

Shobhana, who attended a private function the other day, made the stage laugh when she responded to a statement of Padma Award. Shobhana was announced as the brand ambassador of the NTC Group celebrating its 68th anniversary. She was there to attend the event. The company also arranged a reception for Shobhana.

While speaking at the function, NTC Group managing director Varghese Jose had jokingly said Shobhana got the award because of them. Shobhana gestured from the stage asking how. Then, when she came to speak, she raised a counter question, "Chettan said, I got the award because of NTC?" Shobhana's response made the audience laugh. Shobhana said the reason she got the award was because of the people and the love of them.