Know About The Famous Personalities Who Turned Down One Of India's Top Civilian Honour, The Padma Awards

Padma Awards are one of India's top civilian awards. Before announcing the awards to the recipient, every recipient is required to confirm their acceptance of the national honour.

Several Padma Awards have been refused and returned so far for various reasons. However, it is quite rare for a recipient to refuse India's highest civilian honours, but when one does, it is a symbolic action or protest!

What Are Padma Awards?

The Padma Awards are one of the highest civilian honours of India announced every year on the eve of Republic Day. The Awards are given in three categories:

• Padma Vibhushan (for exceptional and distinguished service)
• Padma Bhushan (distinguished service of higher order)
• Padma Shri (distinguished service)

Famous Personalities Who Turned Down Padma Awards

Former West Bengal chief minister Buddhadeb Bhattacharjee recently, in 2022, refused to accept the Padma Bhushan Award, saying that he had not been informed of his nomination for the country's third-highest civilian honour."I'm not aware of any such thing. If the government has decided to give me (the award), I refuse it," he said this in a statement in Bengali language which was posted on his party CPM's Bengal social media pages.

90-year old veteran singer Sandhya Mukherjee, also refused an offer of a Padma Shri award this year saying it is more deserving of a junior artiste and not someone of her stature.

The same year, Pandit Anindo Chatterjee, a renowned tabla player, also declined the Padma Shri honor. When he received a call from Delhi asking for his consent to accept the honour, he politely declined, saying, "I said thank you but I am not ready to receive Padma Shri at this phase of my career. I have passed that phase”.

Before them, several more people have turned down the award. Take a look at some of the many well-known people who refused the Padma Award for various reasons.

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1. Mother Teresa

Mother Teresa was awarded the Padma Shri by the Indian government in 1962 for her services to the people of India. But before this, according to reports, Mother Teresa, had turned down the honour in 1960 and 1961, believing it was wrong to be recognised for service in God's name.

However, in 1962, the Archbishop of Kolkata persuaded her to accept the honour.

She was later awarded the Bharat Ratna in the year 1980, the year after she also received the Nobel Peace Prize.

2. Khushwant Singh

In 1974, Khushwant Singh was given the Padma Bhushan for service to his country. But he returned it in 1984 which came as a shock for everyone. He returned the honour in protest over the Indian Army's raid on Amritsar during Operation Blue Star.

In 2007, Singh was awarded the Padma Vibhushan.

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3. Salim Khan

Famous screenwriter and Salman Khan's father, Salim Khan refused to accept the Padma Shri award in the year 2015. He said that it's too late for the government to acknowledge his contribution in the field of cinema. Salim Khan also said that he believes he is deserving of a higher civilian honour than Padma Shri.

Five person, including Salim Khan, declined to accept the Padma awards in 2015.

These people refused the high honour awards for a variety of reasons. What are your thoughts on these people turning down such prestigious awards? Comment on our Facebook or Instagram sites to let us know what you think.

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