President Droupadi Murmu on Tuesday conferred the Padma Awards upon actors Anant Nag, Ashok Saraf, Ajith Kumar and Mamata Shankar at the Civil Investiture Ceremony-II held at Rashtrapati Bhavan. This year’s list of Padma awardees also included singer Arijit Singh, and filmmaker Shekhar Kapur.
While Anant Nag, Ajith Kumar, and Shekhar Kapur were honoured with the Padma Bhushan, India’s third-highest civilian award, Ashok Saraf, Mamata Shankar and Arijit Singh received the Padma Shri, the fourth-highest civilian honour.
Actress Divya Spandana congratulated veteran actor Anant Nag on the win. “As a fan of Anant Nag sir this is such a happy and proud moment for me. A stalwart of Kannada cinema and Kannada culture and a wonderful human being too- well deserved,” she wrote on X on Tuesday.
Actor Diganth Manchale, who shared screen space with Nag in Thimayya & Thimayya (2022), posted a photo from the film and wrote, “Honouring the one & only Anant Nag sir. A Padma Bhushan that was long overdue. #Legend #AnantNag #PadmaBhushan.”
Hombale Films, the producers of KGF: Chapter 1 (2018) which starred Anant Nag in a key role, in a statement said, "Hearty congratulations to the Legendary #AnantNag sir on receiving the prestigious Padma Bhushan. A well-deserved recognition for a true icon who has shaped Kannada cinema with his versatile performances. This honour truly celebrates his exceptional contributions to the world of cinema."
Actor-comedian Ashok Saraf, known for his roles in Singham (2011), Yes Boss (1997) and Karan Arjun (1995), shared a video of him receiving the award from President Murmu. In his caption, he expressed gratitude to his family, colleagues and fans for their unwavering support over the years.
Mamata Shankar, primarily known for her work in Bengali cinema, also shared pictures from the event on Facebook.
The Padma Awards recognise distinguished service in a variety of fields, including art, social work, public affairs, science and engineering, trade and industry, medicine, literature and education, sports, and civil service. While the Padma Vibhushan is awarded for exceptional and distinguished service, the Padma Bhushan honours distinguished service of a high order, and the Padma Shri recognises distinguished service in any field.
