Daijiworld Media Network – Mangaluru (AM)
Mangaluru, Jan 25: Former Defence Minister George Fernandes and Sri Vishveshateertha Swamiji of Pejwar Math have been awarded Padma Vibhushan in Public Affairs and Spiritualism respectively.
Pejawar Swamiji was ordained into Sanyasa in 1938 under guru Shri Vidyamanya Teertharu of Shri Bhandarkeri Math and Shri Palimaru Math. He was the 32nd in the lineage of the Pejawar Math, starting from Sri Adhokshaja Teertharu, who was one of the direct disciples of Sri Madhvacharya. He was also the honorary president of Vishva Tulu Sammelana. He had also established Poornaprajna Vidyapeetha in Bengaluru, which has completed over 63 years. Pejawar Swamiji passed away on December 29, 2019.
Pejawar Swamiji (left) and George Fernandes
Former Defence Minister George Fernandes was a long-time socialist and trade unionist. He joined the Janata Dal and served as Railways Minister in the V.P. Singh government from 1989 to 1990. He was instrumental in setting up the Konkan Railway project, connecting Mangalore and Bombay. In 1994, Fernandes formed the Samata Party, which later allied with the Bharatiya Janata Party. He was appointed convenor of the National Democratic Alliance (NDA) and served as the Defence Minister in the Atal Bihari Vajpayee government for two terms, between 1998 and 2004. His term was eventful as it witnessed the Kargil war and Pokhran test.
Many eminent personalities, including former union ministers Arun Jaitley, and Sushma Swaraj, Olympian boxer Mary Kom, former Mauritius Prime Minister Anerood Jugnauth have been honoured with the Padma Vibhushan on the Republic Day this year, officials said on January 25.
Former Defence Minister Manohar Parrikar, industrialists Anand Mahindra and Venu Shrinivasan, Olympian badminton player P V Sindhu, former Nagaland Chief Minister S.C. Jamir and Jammu and Kashmir politician Muzaffar Hussain Baig have been awarded with the Padma Bhushan, they said.
The Padma Vibhushan for this year has been awarded to a total of seven prominent personalities, while 16 have been given the Padma Bhushan, 118 have been given the Padma Shri on the 71st Republic Day this year, they said.
This year the President has approved conferment of 141 Padma Awards including 4 duo cases (in a duo case, the award is counted as one). The list comprises seven Padma Vibhushans, 16 Padma Bhushans and 118 Padma Shris. Thirty four of the awardees are women and the list also includes 18 persons from the category of Foreigners/NRI/PIO/OCI and 12 posthumous awardees.
Industrialists Anand Mahindra and Venu Srinivasan have been awarded the Padma Bhushan. Producer Ekta Kapoor, director Karan Johar, actor Kangna Ranaut and singer Adnan Sami will receive the Padma Shri.