Eminent personalities from diverse fields such as law, science, medicine, art and literature have found a place in the list of Padma awardees this year. They include former Attorney General of India and senior advocate K. Parasaran, who has been conferred the Padma Vibhushan, scientist Suryanarayanan Ramachandran, who gets a Padma Bhushan, Tamil scholar Avvai Natarajan and music teacher S. R. Janakiraman.
Reacting to the conferment of the honour, Mr. Parasaran said “I feel grateful to Lord Parthasarathy to whom I have dedicated myself. It is only His grace.” Mr. Parasaran (83) hails from a family of lawyers, and had served as Advocate General of Tamil Nadu and later as Solicitor General of India. He was Attorney General for India from 1983 to 1989. He received the Padma Bhushan in 2003.
Sivapatham Vittal, known as the ‘Father of Endocrine Surgery,' has been conferred the Padma Shri for his services in the field of medicine. “I am quite happy that my work over four decades has been duly recognised,” he said. Dr. Vittal, who played a pivotal role in the establishment of the department of endocrine surgery at Madras Medical College, said he would like to develop it further to an international level. Dr. Vittal received the B.C. Roy award in 1995 for developing surgical endocrinology.
Tamil scholar and former Vice-Chancellor of Thanjavur Tamil University Avvai Natarajan said he was honoured by the gesture of the Central government in conferring the Padma Shri on him, especially as it came at a time when Tamil has been accorded the classical language status and after the State government had organised a major Tamil conference.
“The Indian government has recognised the services and contribution of a full-fledged Tamil scholar. It is something unique and unusual,” said Mr. Natarajan, son of legendary Tamil scholar Avvai Duraisami Pillai.
S.R.Janakiraman, another recipient of Padma Shri, said the award was due to God's grace for his efforts and hard work in the field of music.
A music teacher, musicologist and musician, 82-year-old Janakiraman said he would dedicate the award to his parents and his music teachers such as Tiger Varadachariar, Musiri Subramania Iyer, Thirupampuram Swaminatha Pillai and T. Brinda, and P.K.Rajagopala Iyer, who trained him in the shastras.
