Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Sunday congratulated this year's Padma Awards recipients and observed that an increased trust and respect for the national civilian awards is evident among the citizens, and pointed out at the overwhelmingly large number of entries for the honours.
"Like every year, Padma Awards were announced last evening. I request you to read about all these people (the awardees). Discuss about their contribution with your family. Over 46,000 nominations had been received for 2020 Padma Awards. This number is 20 times more than what it was in 2014," Prime Minister Modi said in his monthly radio address 'Mann Ki Baat'.
"These numbers show people's trust that Padma Awards have now become people's awards. Today, the entire process of Padma Awards is online. Earlier, these decisions were taken by a select few, now they are totally people-driven. In a way, there is a new trust and respect for Padma Awards in the country," he added.
The Prime Minister said that most of the winners are those who have risen to this level through untiring hard work despite their limited resources. "Their strong will power, spirit of service and selflessness inspire us all," Modi added.
This year's awardees comprise seven Padma Vibhushan, 16 Padma Bhushan and 118 Padma Shri recipients.
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