Entrepreneur achievers head Padma list

Dhirubhai Ambani gets Padma Vibhushan; Pallonji Mistry, R C Bhargava and ex-CAG Vinod Rai get Padma Bhushan

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Entrepreneurs — those who created business empires using intelligence and their wits rather than inherited money — were the business people the Government of India announced on Sunday it was giving high state honours to, on the eve of Republic Day.

Awarded the Padma Vibhushan were the late Dhirubhai Ambani, who started with nothing more than loose change in his pocket but big dreams and ideas, and Ramoji Rao, founder of the iconic Eenadu newspaper in Andhra Pradesh, owner of a formidable films, real estate and publications empire, and the man who crafted politician NT Rama Rao as a political alternative in the state.

The Padma Bhushan was conferred on Shapoorji Pallonji Mistry, owner of a massive construction and infrastrastructure building company, that was one of the first to reach the Gulf and built the palace for the Sultan of Oman. (He also happens to be father of Tata Group chairman Cyrus Mistry). A Padma Shri goes to maverick chemical-scientist and entrepreneur Keki Gharda (Padma Shri) who at 86 continues to be chief scientist of his company, Gharda Chemicals. Also to one of the most important Indian forces behind the Maruti car, R C Bhargava and one of the country’s leading information technology entrepreneurs, Saurabh Shrivastava, who chairs the Indian operations of CA Technologies Inc, a $4.5-billion software multinational, and is a known angel investor.

Dilip Shanghvi who borrowed Rs 10,000 from his father to start a business and is now wealthier than most of India’s richest men, also got a Padma Shri. He is the founder and managing director of Sun Pharmaceutical Industries, with a net worth of Rs 1.35 lakh crore. Indu Jain, chairman of one of India’s largest media companies, Bennett, Coleman & Co, was named for Padma Bhushan.

Ajay Banga, chief executive of MasterCard and an entirely India-educated entrepreneur and professional, has also been awarded the Padma Shri.

The awards list contained some names that have been associated with the Bharatiya Janata Party. Jagmohan (Padma Vibhushan) has been a BJP member, cabinet minister in its government and earlier was governor of Jammu & Kashmir. Ravi Shankar, invariably known by the prefix of the words Shri Shri to his name, has got the Padma Vibhushan, a known name in the area of spiritual teaching. The late Dayanand Saraswati (Padma Bhushan) was acknowledged by the present prime minister as an influential spiritual influence on him.

Former comptroller and auditor general of India, Vinod Rai (Padma Bhushan) played an important role in exposing cronyism in the previous government. Advertising professional Piyush Pandey, who gets a Padma Shri, was behind the ‘Abki baar Modi sarkar’ ad campaign that helped bring the present government to power. Anupam Kher, who got the Padma Bhushan, is an actor who led the counter-campaign against artists, writers and poets who returned their state awards in protest at the government.

Film director Madhur Bhandarkar has also been named for Padma Shri. Ujjwal Nikam, public prosecutor who fought the case against terrorist killer Ajmal Qasab, has got a Padma Shri.

Several yoga teachers have got the Padma Shri, including two foreigners, Hui Lan Zhang from China and Predrag K Nikic from Serbia. Robert Blockwill, a former US ambassador here, who once famously described Indo-US relations as ‘flat as a chapati’, gets a Padma Shri.

Legendary actor Rajnikanth has been chosen for Padma Vibhushan. Actors Priyanka Chopra and Ajay Devgn have been awarded Padma Shri. Actor Saeed Jaffrey has got a Padma Shri posthumously.

A chef, Imtiaz Qureishi, known for the Dum Pukht style of cooking, has also been given one of these state honours.

Reliance Industries’ chairman Mukesh Ambani said, “It is an honour to the indomitable spirit of Indian entrepreneurship, innovation and ambition, to always do better than the best in the world. For me and the 100,000-plus employees of the Reliance family, it is a very proud day.”

“I personally, and the entire Reliance family, are truly overwhelmed and deeply humbled at the award of this great national honour, the Padma Vibhushan, for the greatest entrepreneur and wealth creator in the history of India, my beloved father, Dhirubhai Ambani,” said Anil Ambani, chairman, Reliance ADAG.