
Kerala shone bright at the Padma awards. Legendary writer M T Vasudevan Nair was posthumously awarded the Padma Vibhushan on the eve of Republic Day. Other recognised Keralites are actor Shobana (Padma Bhushan, art) Jose Chacko Periappuram (Padma Bhushan, medicine), P R Sreejesh (Padma Bhushan, sports), I M Vijayan (Padma Shri, sports), K Omanakutty Amma (Padma Shri, art) and Guruvayur Dorai, (Padma Shri, art)
M T Vasudevan Nair
Padma Vibhushan
Madath Thekkepaattu Vasudevan Nair, who passed away on December 25, 2024, was a multi-faceted figure who defined the literary sensibility of Malayalees for decades. The author poignantly captured the cries and whispers of the misfits who were struggling to establish a meaningful relationship with society they lived in. Malayalees easily identified themselves with the characters in MT’s short stories, novels and screenplays, which made him an immensely popular and successful writer.
Padma Vibhushan is the latest decoration on the writer, who had won numerous awards including the Jnanpith, Kendra Sahitya Akademi, Kerala Sahitya Akademi, and national awards for best screenplay. MT entered into literary field when stalwarts like Thakazhi, Ponkunnam Varkey, Keshava Dev and Uroob were ruling the roost.
But he didn’t follow their path and preferred to tread a different way, which was evident from Valarthumrugangal, the short story he authored at a very young age which won first prize in the world competition organised by Mathrubhumi. He went on to write short stories and novels including Naalukettu, Kaalam, Manhu, Randamoozham and Varanasi.
MT’s foray into the tinsel world with the movie Nirmalyam won President’s gold medal for best film. As an editor, MT was quick to identify budding writers and encouraged them profusely. Many among them later became established writers in Malayalam. MT was a diligent craftsman who knew the potentials and limitations of language.
He successfully utilised pauses and silences in language to communicate what he had in mind. Like an unfinished gazal or unrequited love his works left enough room for the readers to fill the vaccum with their imagination.
Dr Jose Chacko Periappuram
Padma Bhushan
Dr Jose Chacko Periappuram is a renowned cardiac surgeon based in Kerala and head of the cardiac surgery division at Lisie Heart Institute, Kochi. He is the first doctor to perform a successful heart transplant surgery in the state in 2003 and has performed 30 heart transplant surgeries so far.
Born in 1958, the Kochi-based doctor has 34 years of experience in the field of cardio-thoracic surgery. He initiated the first coronary bypass surgery in Central Kerala and established the first beating heart bypass surgery programme in Kerala.
He has conducted over 15,000 open heart surgeries. He completed his MBBS from Government Medical College, Kottayam, and postgraduate training in surgery and cardio-thoracic surgery from Ireland and England. The nation honoured him with Padma Shri in 2011 for his academic as well as social activities.
P R Sreejesh
Padma Bhushan
Former captain of Indian hockey team, P R Sreejesh, is regarded as one of the greatest goalkeepers in the history of the game. Hailing from Kizhakkambalam in the suburbs of Kochi, Sreejesh played a vital role in the Indian national team’s bronze medal wins at the 2020 and 2024 Summer Olympics.
He won the FIH awards, instituted by the International Hockey Federation, for the best male goalkeeper in 2020, 2022 and 2024. He was also part of the teams that won gold at the 2014 and 2022 Asian Games. Sreejesh was honoured with Padma Shri, the fourth highest civilian award in 2017. Making his debut in the senior national team in 2006 at the South Asian Games, he was awarded the Best Goalkeeper of the Tournament, following India’s win in the 2008 Junior Asia Cup. He became a regular member of the Indian hockey team since 2011.
At the 2014 Asian Games, he starred in India’s win against arch-rival Pakistan in the final by saving two penalty shots. He took over as the captain in 2016. ‘The Great Wall of Indian Hockey’ was part of the team that won the 2022 Commonwealth Games Silver, 2023 Asian Champion Trophy title and 2022 Asian Games hockey Gold medal. He played a crucial role in India winning the bronze at the 2024 Summer Olympics in Paris and he announced his retirement post the Olympic Games. He is currently the Head Coach of the India Men’s national U-21 team.
I M Vijayan
Padma Shri
Former international footballer from Thrissur, Vijayan was born in Thrissur on April 25, 1969. Vijayan joined Kerala Police football team at the age of 17. Playing for Kerala, he made his mark in Quilon Nationals in 1987. He continued to play for Kerala Police till 1991. He played for reputed clubs like Mohun Bagan, JCT Mills Phagwara, FC Kochin etc. He led the national football team on several occasions.
Vijayan and Bhaichung Bhutia were the most successful frontline combination in the Indian football team. In 1999, during the SAFF Games, Vijayan scored a brilliant goal, which became history as one of the fastest goals in international football in a match against Bhutan. In his career of about four decades, Vijayan scored 29 international goals in 72 matches. Vijayan also acted in several Malayalam movies.
Shobana
Padma Bhushan
Shobana Chandrakumar Pillai is a popular Indian actress and Bharatanatyam dancer. She was active in Malayalam, Telugu, and Tamil films in the 1980s and 1990s. She won the National Film Awards for Best Actress twice, in 1993 and 2002, for the films Manichitrathazhu, directed by Faazil (Malayalam, 1993), and Mitr, My Friend (English, 2002), and Kerala State Film Award for Best Actress in 1993.
Born in Thiruvananthapuram in 1970, Shobana made her debut in the film industry as a child artist. In 1985, she made her debut in the lead role in the film April 18. The actress was part of over 200 films across the South Indian languages. Shobana is still active in Malayalam films, and her film Thudarum, with Mohanlal, is expected to be released this year. Her other major films are Meleparambil Anveedu (1993), Nadodikkattu (1987), and Thenmavin Kombath (1994).
As a bharatanatyam dancer, she received training from Chitra Visweswaran and Padma Subramanyam. In the 1990s, she also established a dance school for bharatanatyam in Chennai. The nation honoured her with a Padma Shri in 2006.
K Omanakutty Amma
Padma Shri
The 81-year-old Carnatic musician K Omanakutty Amma has played a pivotal role in preservation and popularisation of classical music and was instrumental in introducing the compositions of the legendary composer Maharaja Swati Tirunal to a wider audience. She has worked as artist of All India Radio and Doordarshan, and was associated with several institutions such as Sangeeta Bharati, Department of Music Kerala University and Government College of Women.
Omanakutty was born into a family of musicians near Haripad in 1943. Her father, Malabar Gopalan Nair, was a harmonium player and Carnatic musician. Late music composer M G Radhakrishnan and M G Sreekumar are her brothers. She has made significant strides in music research, focusing on its therapeutic applications.
Guruvayur Dorai
Padma Shri
Renowned mridangam exponent Guruvayur Dorai was born in Guruvayur to G S Krishna Iyyer and Meenakshi. He later shifted his base to Chennai. He started learning mridangam at the age of 6 from Palghat Subba Iyyer. At the age of 8, Dorai had his arangettam in the presence of legendary Chembai Vaidyanatha Bhagavathar. Later, Dorai took mridangam lessons from renowned mridangist Palani Subramaniam Pillai by staying at his residence for about nine years in the gurukula tradition.
President’s medals
T’Puram: Air Marshal B Manikandan, Air Officer Commanding-in-Chief (AOC-in-C) of the Southern Air Command (SAC) has been chosen for the Param Vishisht Seva Medal. Another Keralite IAF officer Air Marshal Saju Balakrishnan, Flying (Pilot) C-IN-C HQ ANC has also been chosen for the Param Vishisht Seva Medal. State Police Intelligence ADGP P Vijayan has been chosen for the President’s Medal for Distinguished Service. The award has come as a major recognition for the officer who was under suspension last year. He was suspended by the state government based on a report by the then Law and Order ADGP. In October 2024 he was appointed as the new Intelligence chief.
Param Vishisht
Seva medal
Air Marshal B Manikantan
Air Marshal B Saju
President’s medal for distinguished service (psm)
Police Service
P Vijayan, ADGP
Fire Service .Madhusoodanan Nair G, assistant station officer
Rajendran Pillai K, senior fire and rescue officer
President’s medal for meritorious service (Msm)
Police Service
Gangadharan M, DySp .Shabu R, DySP ,Krishna Kumar B, SP .Vinod MP, DySP .Regi Mathew Kunnipparampan, DySP .Gopakumar MS, SI .Sreekumaran G, assistant commandant .Suresh Kumar Rajappan, Armed Police SI .Bindhu M, head constable .Varghese K J, DySP
Fire Service
Sooraj S, District Fire Officer .Preman P C, Senior Fire and Rescue Officer .Sali K T, senior fire and rescue officer .Sebastian V, Station Officer .Babu P K, Senior Fire and Rescue Officer
Correctional Service
Rajeev T R, Superintendent .Udayakumar V, Deputy Superintendent .Radhakrishnan M, Deputy Superintendent .Shaji C, Deputy Superintendent .Unnikrishnan P, assistant superintendent