PADMA AWARDS

As per Government of India, the Padma Awards (Padma Vibhushan, Padma Bhushan and Padma Shri) are given for exceptional and distinguished service in any field including service rendered by Government servants. The recommendations for Padma Awards are received from the State Governments/Union Territory Administrations, Central Ministries/Departments, Institutions of Excellence, etc. which are considered by an Awards Committee. On the basis of the recommendations of the Awards Committee, and after approval of the Home Minister, Prime Minister and President, the Padma Awards are announced on the eve of the Republic Day.

Bharat Ratna is the highest award for civilians and these awards, viz., Padma Vibhushan, Padma Bhushan and Padma Shri follow them. Uptill the year 2008, 2095 people have received the Padma Shri award since 1954. Sportspersons are also part of these awards - boxer Vijender Kumar and wrestler Sushil Kumar who won bronze medal in the Beijing Olympics of 2008 were not in the list of awardees. India's performance in Olympics historically is not good and our participants returned with only one medal in the last three Olympics (Leandar Paes with a bronze in Men's Singles tennis (Atlanta, 1996), weight lifter Karnam Malleswari with a bronze in (Sydney, 2000) in weight lifting and shooter Col. Rajyavardhan Singh Rathore won a silver (Athens,2004). In fact these two had created Olympic sporting history as far as India was concerned, by giving two bronze medals to India on the same day at the 2008 Beijing Olympics along with Abhinav Bindra’s shooting gold. I dont want to get into the controversy of why Dhoni & Harbhajan or why Akshay Kumar & Aishwarya Rai.. My only point of contention here is, if Sania Mirza can be given Padma Shri for her achievements (any avid tennis lover will reckon the grandslams as the highest award - and her best performance is to enter the 4th round in US open in 2005.. I do agree that she is the best compared to other female tennis players, present and past India has produced, but does it mean that whatever Sushil & Vijender achieved is a less achievement ? These guys have won an individual bronze at the Olympics, the greatest sporting extravaganza on earth in which almost every country in the world participates! Unfortunately, in India, everything has to be lobbied.. As Abhinav Bindra was rightly given Padma Bhushan (the first individual gold for the country in centuries), what stopped them from awarding these two sportspersons also. Col. Rathore was given Padma Shri in the year 2005 after he won the silver medal.. These guys come from a poor background and participate in a sport where their career earnings will be less than what a cricketer would earn in a series (including ad shoots)..

Continuing with the sports section of the awards, why Harbhajan Singh? Though he is a good cricketer and is the ace spinner for India post Jumbo's (Anil Kumble) retirement, what has he achieved in this year.. He was in the news for all wrong things.. Initially it was the monkeygate episode (though the three test ban was finally reduced to fine) and then the Sreesanth episode. The following is the extract of Harbhajan's profile in Cricinfo website :

"In January 2008 when Harbhajan was charged with racially abusing Andrew Symonds. He was given a three-Test ban but the charge was reduced, on appeal, to abuse and insult not amounting to racism and the ban was turned into a fine. In April that year, Harbhajan was involved in another controversy - this time with an Indian team-mate - when video evidence showed him slapping Sreesanth without any provocation after an IPL game in Mohali. He pleaded guilty at a hearing and was banned for 11 IPL matches."

His career has been raked by controversy and bad behavior – so what are we encouraging? He is one of the top civilians of the country and the youngsters should follow him / emulate him ???