THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: Kerala has nominated 13 persons for Padma awards this year. Gandhian P Govindan Nair has been nominated for Padma Bhushan, it is learnt.
Poet Akkitham Achuthan Namboothiri, Kathakali artist Chemanchery Kunhiraman Nair, senior journalist K M Roy, playback singer P Jayachandran, oncologist Dr V P Gangadharan, medical specialist Dr M I Sahadulla, social activist P U Thomas, scientist P Kunjikrishnan, athlete Preeja Sreedharan, sports coach Sunny Thomas, poet and lyricist Sreekumaran Thampi and industrialist K Muralidharan are said to have been nominated for Padmasree.
5-member Panel
The list was prepared by a five-member sub-committee headed by Cultural Affairs Minister K C Joseph. Chief Secretary Jiji Thompson has sent the nominations to the Centre.
The 13 persons were selected from a list of about 80 persons. The committee had to cut short the list after it was stressed that such a jumbo list could not be sent to the Centre.