CDS General Rawat's daughters received Padma Vibhushan Award

President Ram Nath Kovind on Monday presented Padma awards to 54 personalities, including the country's first Chief of Defense Staff (CDS) General Bipin Rawat, former Gita Press chairman Radhey Shyam Khemka and senior Congress leader Ghulam Nabi Azad. General Rawat and Khemka were posthumously awarded the Padma Vibhushan, the country's second highest civilian award.

General Rawat's daughters Kirtika and Tarini, who made the supreme sacrifice in a helicopter crash in December, received the award, while the honor of the late Khemka was accepted by their relatives.

Azad, Tata Sons Chairman N. Chandrasekaran, former Comptroller and Auditor General (CAG) Rajiv Mehrishi and Cyrus Poonawalla, founder of the Covid-19 vaccine maker Serum Institute of India, are among eight personalities who were awarded the country's third highest civilian award Padma Bhushan at a ceremony held at Rashtrapati Bhavan. Galori Bawa received the Padma Bhushan award for late Punjabi folk singer Gurmeet Bawa. Galori Bawa is the daughter of late Punjabi folk singer Gurmeet Bawa.