Jagdish Lal Ahuja, who serves free food to patients and attendants outside PGI hospital in Chandigarh, and Mohammed Sharif, who has performed last rites of over 25,000 unclaimed bodies are among unsung heroes awarded the coveted Padma Shri award this year

Late Union Ministers Arun Jaitley, Sushma Swaraj and George Fernandes given Padma Vibhushan, Manohar Parrikar Gets Padma Bhushan.

Eight sportspersons were named for the prestigious Padma awards on the eve of the 2020 Republic Day, and they are Mary Kom (Padma Vibhushan), P V Sindhu (Padma Bhushan), Zaheer Khan, Rani Rampal, M P Ganesh, Jitu Rai, Bembem Oinam and Tarundeep Rai -- all Padma Shri

Former Defence Minister Manohar Parrikar and Industrialist Anand Mahindra among those awarded Padma Bhushan.

Legendary music composer Mohammed Zahur Hashmi, popularly known as Khayyam, was a recipient of Sangeet Natak Akademi Award and Padma Bhushan.

The Padma Awards - one of the highest civilian awards of the country -- are conferred in three categories: the Padma Vibhushan, the Padma Bhushan and the Padma Shri.

Anna Hazare, an anti-corruption crusader, was awarded the third highest civilian honour in 1992.

The Prime Minister said it was an "honour" for his government to have got the opportunity to confer the Padma Bhushan to Nambi Narayanan.

In 1984, Pal became the first Indian woman to reach the summit of Mount Everest.