Entertainment

Padma awards turned into ‘People’s award’, represents all sections of society

Published

2 years ago

January 26, 2024

Staff Reporter

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New Delhi [India], January 26 (ANI): The recipients of the 2024 Padma Awards this year included personalities from all corners of the country and all segments of society making it ‘Peoples Awards’.

Among the awardees, 40 individuals are from the Other Backward Classes category, 11 from Scheduled Castes, and 15 from Scheduled Tribes.

The awardees also included nine Christians, eight Muslims, five Buddhists, three Sikhs, two Jains, two Parsis, and two from Indigenous Faiths.

The awardees included 49 octogenarians who were recognised for lifetime contributions. 10 districts have been recognised with the Padma Award for the first time since Independence. It has also covered 89 districts across 32 states.

Political veterans across parties, ideologies, and geographies have been presented with the Padma awards. Along with Bharat Ratna to Karpoori Thakur (Janta Party) for championing the cause of backwards, Chiranjeevi (INC) and Captain Vijayakant (DMDK) have also been recognised. This shows the ploitical bipartisanship of the Narendra Modi government.

The Awards have also celebrated Nari Shakti (women empowerment) by awarding 30 women from across regions and fields. It has represented many firsts, from the first female Supreme Court Judge (Fathima Beevi) to the first elephant Mahout (Parbati Barua) and first female Harikatha exponent (Uma Maheshwari).

It has broken barriers of caste and class by awarding Madhubani painter Shanti Devi Paswan and environmental activist Chami Murmu. Several women folk singers across genres like Rajbonshi folk from West Bengal (Gita Roy Barman) to Khasi folk of Meghalaya (Silbi Passah) and Kajri folk of Uttar Pradesh (Urmila Srivastava) were also awarded.

Among women recepients, the Padma Awards have recognised traditional weavers like Naseem Bano (Chikankari of Lucknow), Takdira Begum (Kantha of Bardhaman) and Smriti Rekha Chakma (Loinloom of Tripura).

In the field of arts, several film artists were recognised for lifelong contributions to cinema through acting, directing, singing and composing, across languages like Hindi, Telugu, Bengali, Tamil, Marathi and Punjabi. The awardees included Vyjayanthimala Bali, Chiranjeevi, Mithun Chakraborty, Rajdutt, Vijayakanth, Usha Uthup, Pyarelal, Nirmal Rishi and Pran Sabharwal.

The awardees included exponents of classical dances like Bharatnatyam (Padma Subhramanyam), Kathak (Ramlal Bareth) and Kathakali (Balakrishnan Sadanam Puthiya Veetil); Classical song genres like Darbhanga Gharana (Ram Kumar Mallick), Patiala Gharana (Som Dutt Battu), Baneras Gharana (Surendra Mohan Mishra) and Dhruvpad Gharana (Laxman Bhatt Tailang).

Folk dances from all corners of the world have been recognised. This included Dogri from Jammu Kashmir (Romalo Ram), Ojapali from Assam (Drona Bhyuan), Sabda Nrutya from Odisha (Bhagabat Padhan), Chhau from Bengal (Nepal Chandra Sutradhar), Valli Oyil Kummi from Tamil Nadu (Badrappan M), Theyyam from Kerala (Narayanan E P) and Chindu Yakshaganam from Telangana (Gaddam Sammalah).

Folk theatre from acroos the country like Mach from Madhya Pradesh (Omprakash Sharma), Behrupiya from Rajasthan (Jankilal) and Khasi Folk from Meghalaya (Silbi Passah) have also been recognized.

Folk singers like Ratan Kahar (Bhadu from West Bengal), Mahabir Singh Guddu (Haryanvi from Haryana), Urmila Srivastava (Kajari from Uttar Pradesh), Ali Mohammad and Ghani Mohammad (Maand Duo from Rajasthan) and Gita Roy Barman (Bhawaiya Rajbongshi from West Bengal) were also among the list of awardees.

Bhajankars Kaluram Bamaniya (Kabir Vani from Madhya Pradesh) and Gopinath Swain (Krishna Leela from Odisha) and musicians like Burra Veena player from Telangana, Dasari Kondappa and Nadaswaram player from Tamil Nadu, Seshampatti T Sivalingam, were also the recepients of the Padma awards.

The Padma awards have recognised folk painters like Shanti Devi and Shivan Paswan (Godna Madhubani from Bihar), Binod Maharana (Pattachitra from Odisha) and Ashok Kumar Biswas (Tikuli from Bihar); versatile craftsmen like Jordan Lepcha (Bamboo Lepcha craft from Sikkim), Babu Ram Yadav (Brass Marori from Uttar Pradesh), Machihan Sasa (Longpi Pottery from Manipur) and Ghulam Nabi Dar (Walnut wood carving from Jammu Kashmir) and Godawari Singh (Wood Toymaking from Uttar Pradesh)It has also awarded sculptors like Stapathi famed for Temples from Telangana (A Velu Ananda Chari) and Kumbhar known for sculpting Maa Durga Idols during Durga Pujo (Sanatan Rudra Pal).

Textile revivalists of Chikankari from Uttar Pradesh (Naseem Bano), Kantha from West Bengal (Takdira Begum), Chakma Loinloom from Tripura (Smriti Rekha Chakma) and Carpet Weaving from Uttar Pradesh (Khalil Ahmed) have been recognised as well.

The Padma awards have also recognised inspirational model farmers like Sarbeswar Basumatary, a tribal farmer employing modern agritech for better yield in Assam, K Chellammal, an organic farmer employing damage control measures against island crops in the Andamans, Yanung Jamoh Lego, a herbal medicine grower from Arunachal Pradesh, Sathyanarayana Beleri, a rice farmer preserving 650 rice varieties in Kerala and Sanjay Patil, an organic farmer using innovative water harvesting techniques in Goa.

Agricultural scientists across disciplines- from developing varieties of rice (Ram Chet Chaudhary), and high yielding Wheat (Ravi Prakash Singh) to promoting natural farming (Hari Om) and beekeeping (Ram Chandra Sihag) have also been awarded. The awardees also included scientists working in Ecology (Eklabya Sharma), Oceanography (Shailesh Nayak) and Arsenic Poisoning (Narayan Chakraborty).

The Padma Awards have also recognised lifelong service for treating illnesses like Sickle Cell (Yazdi Italia) to Kala Azar (C P Thakur), Burns (Prema Dhanraj) to Hepatitis (Radha Krishna Dhiman).

The awards have also been presented to individuals preserving indigenous medical knowledge in Ayurveda (Dayal Mavjibhai Parmar), yoga (Kiran Vyas and Charlotte Chopin), traditional medicine (Hemchand Manjhi) and homoeopathy (Radheyshyam Pareek).

The Padma Awards were presented to coaches in Archery (Purnima Mahto), Badminton (Gaurav Khanna), Hockey (Harbinder Singh) and Mallakhamb (Uday Deshpande).

For empowering Particularly Vulnerable Tribal Groups (PVTGs), Jageshwar Yadav’s work in empowering the Birhor tribe in Chhattisgarh and Somanna’s work with the Jenu Kuruba tribe in Karnataka has been awarded.

The Padma Awards have also recognized the contribution of individuals working for the future of children like Shankar Baba Pundlikrao Papalkar in Maharashtra and Sangthankima in Mizoram.

Over 62,000 nominations were received for the Padma Awards this year, which marked a 28-time increase from 2014. The recipients were decided after multiple rounds of scrutiny and consultation with over 250 experts, thereby continuing the journey of transforming the Padma Awards from ‘Government Awards’ to ‘Peoples Awards’. (ANI)

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Staff Reporter

Entertainment

Canada Super 60 set to dazzle with star-studded concert line-up at Vancouver’s BC Place

Published

1 week ago

October 9, 2025

Michael Gomes

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The Canada Super 60 isn’t just changing the game; it’s creating North America’s newest entertainment spectacle. From October 8 to 13, Vancouver’s iconic BC Place will transform into a full-fledged cultural carnival, blending high-octane cricket with back-to-back music concerts.

Get ready for six nights of non-stop entertainment, headlined by some of the biggest names in Punjabi, Desi, and global fusion music. From the infectious beats of Harrdy Sandhu and Jassie Gill to the international flair of Mickey Singh, each night promises a festival atmosphere both on and off the pitch.

Concert Line-Up Highlights

Oct 8 – Harrdy Sandhu (9pm)
Oct 9 – Jassie Gill (9pm)
Oct 10 – Mickey Singh (9pm)
Oct 11 – Parmish Verma (9pm)
Oct 12 – Raf-Saperra (9pm)
Oct 13 – GirlsLikeYou x Indo Warehouse (6:15pm)

The entertainment bonanza runs alongside thrilling cricket matches featuring international stars and fan favourites. With Yuvraj Singh backing the league and legends like Shikhar Dhawan and Suresh Raina on the field, Canada Super 60 is shaping up to be the ultimate blend of glamour, game, and groove.

“This is not just cricket; this is a lifestyle experience,” said a spokesperson for Canada Super 60. “Our entertainment line-up reflects the league’s ambition to unite cultures through music, sport, and community.”

Fans can expect full-scale stadium productions, food and cultural showcases, and plenty of Instagram-worthy moments, turning BC Place into Canada’s most happening venue this October.

About Canada Super 60

Canada Super 60 is the newest format in global cricket, a 60-ball showdown that delivers fast-paced action and festival-style entertainment. Backed by international icons and powered by music, sport, and cultural unity, it’s redefining how fans experience cricket in North America.

Entertainment

UAE students risk repeating a year if absences exceed 15 days, new rules state

Published

2 months ago

September 2, 2025

Michael Gomes

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Public school students in the UAE could be required to repeat an academic year if their unexcused absences exceed 15 days, under new rules announced by the Ministry of Education.

The updated guidelines exclude absences related to illness, medical travel, official event participation, emergencies, or family bereavements. Students will now be allowed up to five unexcused absences per term, capped at 15 across the year. Any excess will trigger a review, with the student’s file referred to the relevant authorities and child protection services.

The ministry also clarified that absences on Fridays, or on days immediately before or after official holidays, will count as two days. A warning system has been introduced to notify parents on the first day of absence.

Special exemptions will apply to students of determination and those with chronic illnesses. Parents may also appeal within five working days of being notified, ensuring fairness in implementation.

The initiative is aimed at tackling absenteeism, which the ministry said has a direct impact on academic performance. Citing studies, it noted that missing 10 per cent of school days equates to a loss of half an academic year, while absences beyond 20 per cent amount to a full year’s loss in achievement.

Schools have been instructed to create individual support plans for students at risk of frequent absences, including counselling sessions, parent engagement, and incentive programmes.

The ministry added that it will be up to educational boards to decide whether these rules will also extend to private schools.

Announcements

Tickets now live for Dubai’s first homegrown musical spectacle

Published

4 months ago

June 14, 2025

Staff Reporter

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A cultural revolution is about to begin. Tickets are now available for Once Upon A Time in Dubai, the most ambitious, emotional, and spectacular musical ever produced in the region. Opening this December at The Agenda in Dubai Media City, the show is already being called a once-in-a-generation phenomenon — and for good reason.

More than just a stage production, Once Upon A Time in Dubai is the first original large-scale musical entirely created in the UAE, blending Broadway-worthy storytelling with the energy and dreams of one of the world’s most iconic cities. Behind this bold vision is Stéphane Boukris, entrepreneur and cultural trailblazer, who has brought together an international creative dream team — including Universal Music Group MENA as co-producer — to craft a deeply emotional journey of love, ambition, and transformation, set in today’s Dubai.

“This show is a tribute to everything Dubai represents: ambition, diversity, and the power to build your own destiny,” says Boukris. “We are creating something people will never forget.”

A World-Class Team Behind the Curtain

The production brings together talents who have previously worked on global shows such as Céline Dion, Disney shows, and Arabs Got Talent (MBC). From lighting to choreography and technical design, every detail is crafted by artists and technicians at the highest international standards.

A Story That Speaks to a Generation

At the heart of the show is Will, a young English dancer who arrives in Dubai to search for Sophia, the woman he loves. Along the way, he meets artists, entrepreneurs, and dreamers from all walks of life, culminating in a celebration of courage, community, and reinvention.

The cast features rising stars Amanda Maalouf (X Factor) and Joe Woolford (The Voice UK) — with many of the lead vocalists and performers previously featured on international talent platforms, bringing an exceptional level of stage presence and vocal power. The musical includes over 20 original songs composed by Nazim Khaled, including already-viral hits like “Habibi”, “Stranger in the World”, and “Think Big”.

A City-Wide Movement

With over 150,000 spectators expected across 55 performances, the show is much more than an event — it’s becoming a movement. Once Upon A Time in Dubai is already making waves across the city with:

● Strategic brand partnerships: McDonald’s, Carrefour MAF, Careem, Accor, Mall of the

Emirates, Tilal Al Ghaf, GEMS Education, and more

● Immersive activations: Soundtracks in Hala taxis, QR codes in malls, music in retail

stores, and dedicated social media campaigns

● Youth engagement: Auditions and showcases for students across GEMS schools,

opening the stage to the next generation of performers

The show will be performed in English, and supported by a multicultural creative team led by stage director Johan Nus.

Exclusive Ticket Sale

Tickets are available exclusively via Fever, the global ticketing platform. Pre-sale access has already launched with selected partners such as GEMS, Muse by Chalhoub, and Accor’s ALL loyalty members — with thousands of tickets snapped up in just days.

🎤 Behind the scenes videos, interviews with the cast, and a full media kit are available upon request. 📸 Press passes for opening week are now being issued — be among the first to witness the birth of a new cultural landmark.