Among the names also recommended for this year’s Padma honours but could not make the cut were two-time national award winner for best actress Kangana Ranaut, cricketers Gautam Gambhir and Zaheer Khan, playback singer Suman Kalyanpur and ghazal maestros Talat Aziz and Chandan Dass.
But they could never make the final cut.
112 eminent persons were conferred the Padma awards this year. These included 10 Padma Vibhushan, 19 Padma Bhushan and 83 Padma Shri awardees.
A Times of India report said that wrestler Sushil Kumar and Jamia Milia Islamia vice-chancellor Prof Talat Ahmad too were recommended for Padma awards by the search committee, but they too had to face disappointment in the end.
There’s nothing for some names recommended by the search committee to not appear in the final list.
The recommendations, as finalised by the search committee, are forwarded to the Prime Minister’s Office, which then makes more changes as it deems appropriate.