Rajinikanth, Sania Mirza, Saina Nehwal to get Padma awards 2016

Mumbai: The list of Padma award 2016 was announced by the government on Monday. The awards are conferred in three categories - Padma Vibhushan, Padma Bhushan and Padma Shri.

The awards seek to recognise work of distinction and are given for distinguished and exceptional achievements.

Actor Anupam Kher, Singer Udit Narayan, sculptor Ram Sutar, Former CAG Vinod Rai and theatre personality Heisnam Kanhailal have also been selected for the Padma Bhushan.

Former US Ambassador to India Robert D Blackwill, sportspersons Saina Nehwal and Sania Mirza and Indu Jain of Bennett, Coleman & Co are the other names decided for the Padma Bhushan

Read: Padma Bhushan nomination surprises Saina

The honour will also be awarded to Barjinder Singh Hamdard, Swami Tejomayananda, Professor NS Ramanuja Tatacharya and Professor D Nageshwar Reddy.

Anupam Kher tweeted his pleasure at having been conferred the Padma Bhushan.

Read: I am happy, grateful, thankful for this award: Kher

Meanwhile, superstar Rajinikanth will be conferred the Padma Vibhushan. Yamini Krishnamurthi, Girija Devi, Ramoji Rao, Art of Living guru Sri Sri Ravi Shankar and Dr Viswanathan Shanta are the other Padma Vibhushan winners.

Rajinikanth's daughters Soundarya and Aishwaryaa ‏tweeted:

The Padma Vibhushan has also been posthumously conferred upon Dhirubhai Ambani.

Senior lawyer Ujjwal Nikam, actors Ajay Devgn and Priyanka Chopra will be awarded the Padma Shri this year.

Read: Dhirubhai Ambani, Mistry, Shanghvi to get Padma awards

An elated Anupam took Twitter to share his happiness. He wrote,