By Anurjay Dhal
BHUBANESWAR: Dr. Damayanti Beshra and Binapani Mohanty for Literature and Education, Utsav Charan Das, Mitrabhanu Gountia and Manmohan Mahapatra (Posthumous) for Art, Radhammohan & Sabarmatee (Duo) for Others-Agriculture ,Batakrushna Sahoo for Others-Animal Husbandry and Dr Digambar Behera – Medicine; Dr. Prasanta Kumar Pattanaik – Literature and Education and Guru Shashadhar Acharya – Art.from Odisha were on Saturday won the Padma Shri Awards-2020. No Padma Vibhushan and Padma Bhushan Aawards were given to Odisha. However, eminent writer Manoj Das of Odisha, got Padma Bhushan for Literature and Education on Puducherry quota.
Earlier, 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 141 Padma Awards including 4 duo cases (in a duo case, the Award is counted as one) as per list below. The list comprises of 7 Padma Vibhushan, 16 Padma Bhushan and 118 Padma Shri Awards. 33 of the awardees are women and the list also includes 18 persons from the category of Foreigners/NRI/PIO/OCI and 12 Posthumous awardees.
