Renowned Kathakali artiste from Kerala centenarian Chemancheri Kunhiraman Nair will be conferred the Padma award on Republic Day. Another dancer, Kumaoni folk artiste Basanti Bisht, will be awarded the Padma Shri. The list of people who will receive the top honours will be officially announced on the eve of Republic Day.
Indian hockey team captain P.R. Sreejesh, Olympics bronze medalist wrestler Sakshi Malik, gymnastics icon Dipa Karmakar and cricketer Virat Kohli are the sports stars who will be conferred the Padma Shri this year. Famous chef Sanjeev Kapoor, singer Anuradha Paudwa, writer Narendra Kohli and journalist and film critic Bhavna Somaiya too will be awarded the Padma Shri.
Sadhu Meher who has acted both in Bollywood and Oriya films and is a national award winner will be conferred the Padma award.
The awards will be conferred by President Pranab Mukherjee at a function in Rashtrapati Bhavan.
