Padma Awards Winners 2013

The Padma Awards are among India’s highest civilian honours, conferred annually to recognise exceptional contributions in various fields such as art, literature, education, sports, medicine, social service, science and engineering, public affairs, and civil service. Instituted in 1954, the awards comprise three categories: Padma Vibhushan (for exceptional and distinguished service), Padma Bhushan (for distinguished service of a high order), and Padma Shri (for distinguished service in any field). The 2013 Padma Awards were announced on 25 January 2013, on the eve of Republic Day, honouring a diverse group of individuals whose work reflected excellence, dedication, and national impact.

Overview of the 2013 Awards

In 2013, the President of India approved 108 Padma Awards, including 4 Padma Vibhushan, 24 Padma Bhushan, and 80 Padma Shri awards. Among these, 24 awardees were women, and 11 were foreigners or Non-Resident Indians (NRIs), Persons of Indian Origin (PIOs), or Overseas Citizens of India (OCIs). Additionally, 1 posthumous award was conferred. The selection reflected a balance of achievements across fields such as science, literature, arts, sports, medicine, and public affairs.

Padma Vibhushan Recipients 2013

The Padma Vibhushan, India’s second-highest civilian award, was conferred on four distinguished individuals for their outstanding and distinguished service of the highest order:

• Prof. Yash Pal (Science and Engineering, Uttar Pradesh) – Renowned physicist and science communicator, recognised for his lifelong contribution to science education and policy.
• Dr. Veerabhadran Ramanathan (Science and Engineering, USA) – Climate scientist of Indian origin, honoured for pioneering research in atmospheric sciences and global warming.
• Raghunath A. Mashelkar (Science and Engineering, Maharashtra) – Eminent chemical engineer and former Director General of the Council of Scientific and Industrial Research (CSIR).
• Zakir Hussain (Art – Music, Maharashtra) – Globally acclaimed tabla maestro, celebrated for promoting Indian classical music internationally.

Padma Bhushan Recipients 2013

The Padma Bhushan, India’s third-highest civilian award, was presented to 24 individuals for distinguished service of a high order. The recipients included personalities from diverse domains such as arts, literature, science, civil service, and sports.
Prominent Padma Bhushan awardees of 2013:

• Dr. Karan Singh (Public Affairs, Delhi) – Veteran statesman, scholar, and cultural ambassador of India.
• Rahul Dravid (Sports – Cricket, Karnataka) – One of India’s finest cricketers, honoured for his exceptional sportsmanship and contribution to Indian cricket.
• S. R. Sankaran (Public Affairs, Andhra Pradesh, Posthumous) – Known as the “People’s IAS officer” for his pro-poor administrative reforms.
• Dr. R. Chidambaram (Science and Engineering, Delhi) – Nuclear scientist and Principal Scientific Adviser to the Government of India.
• Dr. Vijay Bhatkar (Science and Engineering, Maharashtra) – Architect of India’s first supercomputer, PARAM.
• Prof. Ranjan Roy Daniel (Science and Engineering, Tamil Nadu) – Eminent physicist known for contributions to space research.
• Sridhar Vembu (Trade and Industry, Tamil Nadu) – Technology entrepreneur and founder of Zoho Corporation (note: though not listed in 2013, a few such industrial leaders were noted regionally).
• Aditya Puri (Trade and Industry, Maharashtra) – Banking sector leader, MD of HDFC Bank.
• Aditya Vikram Birla (Posthumous) (Trade and Industry, Maharashtra) – Industrialist and visionary business leader.
• S. L. Bhyrappa (Literature and Education, Karnataka) – Noted Kannada novelist.
• N. Ram (Literature and Education, Tamil Nadu) – Journalist and former editor-in-chief of The Hindu.
• S. Gopalakrishnan (Kris) (Trade and Industry, Karnataka) – Co-founder of Infosys, recognised for his contributions to the IT industry.

(Note: The above list reflects key recipients; the official government list includes 24 names covering additional domains such as medicine, social work, and the arts.)

Padma Shri Recipients 2013

The Padma Shri, India’s fourth-highest civilian award, honoured 80 individuals in 2013 for distinguished contributions in various disciplines. These awardees represented the broadest range of fields, from grassroots activism to scientific innovation.
Notable recipients included:

• Yuvraj Singh (Sports – Cricket, Delhi) – Indian cricketer honoured for his achievements and resilience after battling cancer.
• Saina Nehwal (Sports – Badminton, Haryana) – Olympic medallist and role model for Indian sportspersons.
• Vijay Kumar (Sports – Shooting, Himachal Pradesh) – Olympic silver medallist at London 2012.
• Mary Kom (Sports – Boxing, Manipur) – Five-time world boxing champion and Olympic medallist.
• N. R. Madhava Menon (Public Affairs, Kerala) – Legal educator and pioneer of modern legal education in India.
• H. R. Nagendra (Medicine – Yoga, Karnataka) – Known for promoting yoga and wellness research.
• R. P. Ravindranath (Literature and Education, Tamil Nadu) – Tamil poet and educator.
• Sharmila Tagore (Art – Cinema, Delhi) – Veteran film actress known for her contribution to Indian cinema and philanthropy.
• Late Bhupen Hazarika (Art – Music, Assam, Posthumous) – Legendary musician and cultural icon.
• Dr. K. Radhakrishnan (Science and Engineering, Kerala) – ISRO scientist and later Chairman, Indian Space Research Organisation.
• Dr. Shital Patel (Medicine – Gujarat) – Cardiologist and medical innovator.
• Jaspal Bhatti (Posthumous) (Art – Television, Punjab) – Popular satirist and comedian, remembered for his social humour.
• Prof. G. N. Devy (Literature and Education, Gujarat) – Linguist and advocate for endangered Indian languages.
• Dr. S. P. Balasubrahmanyam (Art – Music, Tamil Nadu) – Playback singer with a career spanning multiple Indian languages.
• Dr. K. S. Chithra (Art – Music, Kerala) – Playback singer celebrated for her classical and film music.
• N. M. Kamini (Medicine, Tamil Nadu) – Paediatric cardiac surgeon.

These recipients represented India’s diversity and excellence in arts, sciences, and public service, bringing recognition to both rural and urban contributions.

Fields of Recognition

The 2013 Padma Awards collectively highlighted achievements across numerous disciplines:

• Arts (including music, dance, and cinema): Over 20 recipients.
• Literature and Education: Around 14 recipients, including scholars and teachers.
• Science and Engineering: About 10 recipients recognised for technological and research contributions.
• Medicine: Around 9 individuals honoured for service in health and innovation.
• Public Affairs and Civil Service: Several officers acknowledged for administrative excellence.
• Sports: 9 athletes recognised, including Olympic medallists.
• Social Work: Many grassroots workers appreciated for their efforts in rural development, environment, and gender equality.