119 conferred padma awards; Vibhushan for Abe, Bhushan for Keshubhai, Tarun Gogoi, Paswan

NEW DELHI: Former Japan prime minister Shinzo Abe, archaeologist BB Lal, Dr B M Hedge, artist Sudarshan Sahoo and former principal secretary to PM Narendra Modi, Nripendra Misra, were among the 119 distinguished individuals who were conferred the prestigious Padma awards this year.

Congress leader Tarun Gogoi, one of the longest serving chief minister of Assam where the elections are due later this year, former Union minister Ram Vilas Paswan, ex-Gujarat chief minister Keshubhai Patel and Shia cleric Kalbe Sadiq were awarded Padma Bhushan posthumously.

Singer SP Balasubramaniam and Indian-American scientist Narinder Singh Kapany were conferred Padma Vibhusan posthumously.

The list comprises 7 Padma Vibhushan, 10 Padma Bhushan and 102 Padma Shri awards. 29 of the awardees are women and the list also includes 10 foreig ners, 16 posthumous awardees & 1 transgender awardee.

While Padma Vibhushan is awarded for exceptional and distinguished service, Padma Bhushan is given for distinguished service of high order and Padma Shri for distinguished service in any field.

Archeologist BB Lal was the first to talk about the probability of a presence of a temple in Ayodhya. In its preliminary report submitted to the ASI, Lal as the head of the excavation team disclosed the discovery by his team of "pillar bases", at the south of the Babri mosque structure in Ayodhya in the seventies, and consistently maintained his position, despite subsequent governments stalling the excavations.

After the verdict in 2017, the Vishva Hindu Parishad had specifically thanked Lal in its statement.