Awards

Padma Award

The President of India, Smt. Pratibha Devasingh Patil, is shown (right) conferring the award and title of Padma Shree to Guru Pratap Pawar at a ceremony at the Rashtrapati Bhavan (President House) on 5th Mat 2008.

The Padma Awards are a series of awards bestowed by the President of India on individuals who represent the best in their spheres of public life, arts, science and business.

Among those that were also honoured this year were the External Affairs Minister Pranab Mukherjee, the cricket hero Sachin Tendulkar, veteran singer Asha Bhonsle and corporate captains Ratan Tata, L.N. Mittal and N.R. Narayana Murthy.

Also present at this function were India’s Prime Minister Dr. Manmohan Singh, Smt. Sonia Gandhi and other Cabinet ministers.

Par Excellence Award

Internationally known Kathak Dancer Guru Pratap Pawar received this prestigious award in Delhi on 1 November 2004 from the former prime minister of India I.K. Gujral and the British High Commissioner in India.

These awards are given to Pravasi Bharatiya non-resident Indians for their outstanding contribution in a foreign country in the field of business, technology, medicine and the arts.

This was a two day function in which various artists were also invited to perform, including Asavari Pawar.