Three of the five recipients of the Padma Vibhushan, India’s second-highest civilian award, announced on the eve of the 77th Republic Day, are from Kerala, a state set to go to Assembly elections later this year. No individual was awarded the Bharat Ratna, the country’s highest civilian honour, this year.
The Padma Vibhushan was conferred on veteran actor Dharmendra, former Kerala Chief Minister V S Achuthanandan (posthumously), journalist P Narayanan, former Supreme Court judge Justice K T Thomas, and one other eminent personality. Achuthanandan, a senior CPM leader, was recognised posthumously for his long public life and contributions.
The awards this year show a notable distribution across states heading into elections. Maharashtra topped the list with 15 awardees, followed by Tamil Nadu with 13, West Bengal with 11, and Kerala with 8 across all Padma categories. Assam, another poll-bound state, saw five recipients.
Kerala’s awardees also include actor Mammootty and social activist V Natesan, who received the Padma Bhushan, while five others from the state were honoured with the Padma Shri across fields such as science, medicine, art, and social work.
Political observers have noted that honouring figures across ideological lines has been a consistent feature of the Padma Awards under the Narendra Modi-led government. The recognition of leaders from diverse political backgrounds comes amid an evolving political landscape in Kerala, where the Left Front, Congress-led UDF, and BJP are all vying for influence.
