Excellence in art, literature, edu and social work: Check the list of Padma awardees from Tamil Nadu

The Central government on Tuesday announced the list of recipients of the Padma awards. As many as 128 people have been honoured this year.

The list comprises 4 Padma Vibhushan, 17 Padma Bhushan and 107 Padma Shri awards. Thirty-four of the awardees are women and the list also includes 10 persons from the category of Foreigners/NRI/PIO/OCI and 13 posthumous awardees.

Sankaramanchi Janaki popularly known as Sowcar Janaki or Shavukaru Janaki, the veteran actress has appeared in over 450 films, mainly in Tamil, Telugu, and Kannada languages. She also performed on stage in over 3000 shows and was a radio artist during her earlier years. She has performed on stage in 3 popular plays, written and directed by K. Balachander and has essayed wide variety of roles throughout her 71 years career. 

Also read: India honours 128 personalities with Padma Awards: Check List

Sirpi Balasubramiam, who hails from Tamil Nadu, India, and is a poet, critic, scholar, and lecturer. Born in Aaththupollachi in Coimbatore, he earned his MA and PhD from Annamalai University and Madras University, respectively. A lecturer at Pollachi's NGM College, he went on to become a professor at Bharathiar University's Tamil department. In his literary front, he has produced over a dozen works of poetry and literary criticism. In 2001, he got the Sahitya Akademi's translators award for his Tamil translation of Lalithambika Antharjanam's Agnisakshi.

Born in 1952, Damodaran, was a Member of the Legislative Assembly of Tamil Nadu. Prior to being elected to the Tamil Nadu Legislative Assembly, he was the President of Thalakkarai Panchayat (1984–1989) and a member of Pollachi North Panchayat Union (1996–2001).

AKC comes from a long line of wind instrument players in her family. Kuppuswami Naidu, his grandpa, was a nagaswaram performer who eventually switched to clarinet. Alathur Sri Venkateswara Iyer taught AKC Carnatic music, and Ellupur Sri Natesa Pillai taught him the basics of nagaswaram.

AKC's first performance dates back to 1946. Even in his early years, he was given numerous opportunities to perform in front of doyens such as Ariyakudi Ramanuja Aiyengar, T. N. Rajarathinam Pillai, and Palakkad Mani Iyer.

82-year-old Muthukannamal is from the seventh generation of a family of Sathir dancers from Viralimalai, 28 km from Tiruchy. She has been dancing since the age of 8. Her father Ramachandra Nattuvanar has been her tutor . Currently, Muthukannamal teaches Sathir to those interested.

The last Devadasi-Sathir dancer was recently honoured with the DakshinaChitra Virudhu, an annual award instituted by The Madras Craft Foundation and The Friends of DakshinaChitra to honour folk performing artists.

Seshiah, born in Chennai, is a medical graduate completed his MD Medicine at Stanley Medical College and studied from the great teacher Prof M Viswanathan, who is the Father of Diabetology in India. While he was in state government service, he joined as an Assistant professor at Madras Medical College (MMC) and got an opportunity to work with his mentor Prof. Sam GP. 

Seshiah is currently a diabetologist at Dr V Seshiah Diabetes Research Institute.  He has been honoured with a number of International & national awards in recognition of academic, clinical and research contributions.  During his service he was recognized as a teacher of par excellence, an astute clinician, academician and researcher, committed to public health initiatives and particularly women’s welfare. 

Pandit S. Ballesh is an Indian shehnai player who was born Ballappa Sanna Bharamappa Bhajantri on April 1, 1958. He, who can perform a variety of styles in his shehnai, aalaapi, and aakaar, including khayal singing, jhala (sitar and sarod), tatkar (kathak dancers), meend & harquatts (sarangi and violin), tone consistency (been), and sweetness (bansuri), began learning from his father and strengthened his musical foundations.

Ballesh starred as Shehnai in the Hindi film Raanjhanaa, which featured Oscar winner AR Rahman's music. He also played shehnai in Imtiaz Ali's 2011 Hindi film Rockstar, with music by A.R. Rahman, for the song "The Dichotomy of fame”