Bharat Ratna to Malaviya, Padma Vibhushan to Advani

A number of leaders and prominent people from various walks of life were honoured on Monday with the country's high awards by President Pranab Mukherjee at a civil investiture ceremony here at Rashtrapati Bhavan.

Bharat Ratna, India's highest civil honour, was posthumously conferred on Pandit Madan Mohan Malaviya.

The medallion and scroll for the same award was also given to Atal Bihari Vajpayee on Friday at his residence by the president as the former prime minister could not come to Rashtrapati Bhavan because of ill health.

The Padma awards, which are generally announced on the eve of Republic Day every year, this year included two Bharat Ratnas, three Padma Vibhushans, 12 Padma Bhushans and 34 Padma Shris.

Senior BJP leader and former deputy prime minister L.K. Advani, Punjab Chief Minister Parkash Singh Badal and Jagadguru Swami Rambhadracharya received the prestigious Padma Vibhushan.

Political commentator and journalist Swapan Dasgupta, IT wizard and founder of Microsoft Corporation Bill Gates and his wife Melinda Gates, and well-known TV personality Rajat Sharma were honoured with Padma Bhushan.

The Gates couple, however, could not come to personally receive their awards.

Under the Padma Shri category Prasoon Joshi, Sanjay Leela Bhansali and Tarak Janubhai Mehta were some of the well-known people, who received the honour from the president.