Aishwarya Rai and Akshay Kumar are amidst the Padma Shri award recipients this year for their contributions to the art and cinema. Photo Credit: StarJanuary 25, 2009, (Sawf News) - Aishwarya Rai and Akshay Kumar are amidst the Padma Shri award recipients this year for their contributions to the art and cinema.
The awardees were announced by the President yesterday on the eve of Republic Day, January 25.
Others who made to the list from the field of art include Salman Khan's step mother and item dancer of the yester years, Helen, 69, singers Udit Narayan, Kumar Shanu and Penaz Masani; and composer Hridaynath Mangeshkar.
Aishwarya, 35, former Miss World (1994), stepped into the celluloid world in 1997 and has since risen to international fame and is widely perceived as one of the most beautiful women in the world. Her latest Hollywood offering, Pink Panther 2, is slated for release next month.
Aishwarya is also a sought after model and is currently the brand ambassador for French Cosmetic giant L'Oreal. In that capacity she has been a constant face at the Cannes since 2002.
Rai, who married actor Abhishek Bachchan on 20 April 2007, has previously dated Salman Khan and Vivek Oberoi.
Akshay Kumar, 41, born in Punjab, started as an action hero in 1991 with Saugandh as his debut film. He later transitioned successfully to be a comedy star.
A succession of box office hits since 2007 have established him as one of the most sought after Bollywood stars.
Akshay, who is married to Twinkle Khanna - daughter of Dimple Kapadia and Rajesh Khanna, was earlier linked to Pooja Batra, Raveena Tandon and Shilpa Shetty. Akshay and Twinkle have a son, Aarav (b. September 15, 2002).
In the sports category, cricketers Mahendra Singh Dhoni and Harbhajan Singh made it to the list.
Madhuri Dixit received a Padma Shri award in 2008.
Established in 1954, Padma Shri is an award given by the Government of India generally to Indian citizens to recognize their distinguished contribution in various spheres of activity including the Arts, Education, Industry, Literature, Science, Sports, Social Service and public life.
It stands fourth in the hierarchy of civilian awards after the Bharat Ratna, the Padma Vibhushan and the Padma Bhushan.
The complete list of 2009 Padma Shri Awards recipients:
1. Shri Thilakan
2. Shri A. Vivekh
3. Smt. Aishwarya Rai Bachchan
4. Shri Akshay Kumar
5. Dr. (Ms.) Ameena Ahmed Ahuja
6. Smt. Aruna Sairam
7. Smt. Devayani Chaymotty
8. Ms. Geeta Kapur
9. Shri Govind Ram Nirmalkar
10. Shri Gurumayum Gourakishor Sharma
11. Shri Hashmat Ullah Khan
12. Smt. Helan Khan
13. Smt. Hemi Bawa
14. Pandit Hridaynath Mangeshkar
15. Shri Iravatham Mahadevan
16. Shri K.P. Udayabhanu
17. Dr. Kanneganti Brahmanandam
18. Prof. Kiran Seth
19. Shri Kumar Sanu Bhattacharjee
20. Prof. Dr. (Smt.) Leela Omchery
21. Shri Mattannoor Sankarankutty Marar
22. Shri Niranjan Goswami
23. Bhai Nirmal Singh Khalsa
24. Ms. Penaz Masani
25. Shri Prakash N. Dubey
26. Dr. Pratapaditya Pal
27. Shri Ram Kishore Chhipa
28. Smt. Saoli Mitra
29. Late Shri Skendrowell Syiemlieh (Posthumous)
30. Dr. Subrahmanyam Krishnaswamy
31. Shri Suresh Dutta
32. Late Shri Tafazzul Ali (Posthumous)
33. Shri Udit Narayan
34. Shri Vadakka Manalath Govindan alias Kalamandalam Gopi
News Copyright © Sawf News. May not be reproduced without explicit written permission