Padma crown for Ajith, Nalli owner, cricketer Ashwin
Ajith dedicated his award to the fans and family members. He acknowledged the unwavering love and affection of fans and well wishers. “This award is as much yours as it is mine,” Ajith tweeted.
CHENNAI: Actors Ajith Kumar and Shobana Chandrakumar, and noted businessman Nalli Kuppusami Chetti were among those bestowed with Padma Bhushan Awards, while India’s second highest wicket-taker Ravichandran Ashwin and popular culinary expert K Damodaran alias ‘Chef’ Damu were among those chosen for Padma Shri.
In all, there were 13 people from Tamil Nadu among the 139 personalities from various fields and walks of life who were selected for the prestigious civilian awards that was announced on Saturday.
Among the seven who were awarded Padma Vibhushan, the second highest civilian award, were late chairman of Suzuki Motors, Osamu Suzuki; Jnanpith-winning Malayalam writer late MT Vasudevan Nair, and late Sharda Sinha. Duvvur Nageshwar Reddy (medicine), former Chief Justice of India Jagdish Singh Khehar, Kumudini Rajnikant Lakhia (art), and Lakshminarayana Subramaniam (art).
Fresh from his racing achievement in Dubai recently, the 53-year-old actor thanked President Droupadi Murmu and Prime Minister Narendra Modi for "this prestigious honour."
Ajith dedicated his award to the fans and family members. He acknowledged the unwavering love and affection of fans and well wishers. “This award is as much yours as it is mine,” Ajith tweeted.
Kuppusami Chetti, already a Padma Shri, owns the renowned brand of silk sarees -- NalliSilk. An ardent music aficionado, he is currently the president of Shrikrishna Gana Sabha.
Recently-retired Ashwin received the Padma Shri for his contributions to sports. He retired with 537 Test wickets.
Thavil artiste P Datchanamoorthy, who was selected for the Padma Shri award by the Central government on Saturday, said the honour was a "vibrant recognition" of the traditional art.
The 68 year-old who has five decades of experience in playing the classical percussion instrument, has performed in several parts of the country in about 15,000 events.
Datchanamoorthy said he belongs to a family of Nadaswaram (a wind instrument) and thavil players. His father and grandfather were thavil artistes and he and his four brothers are either thavil or nadaswaram players. The Padma Shri recipient hails from Abishegapakkam village in Embalam segment in Puducherry.
He said he was extremely happy that traditional art has gained recognition and the civilian honour was a real tribute to the art. It was a "vibrant recognition" of the art.
He said he had learnt playing thavil, a sacrosanct accompaniment to nadaswaram from his father and grandfather. The instruments are an integral part of Tamil culture, and played in temples and weddings.
Datchanamoorthy said the recognition would boost all those involved in the traditional music and he would ever remain grateful to all the patrons of the music and the art. He also thanked the Centre and Puducherry government.