Padma Awards 2024: Controversy Over Honorees

The Indian government has announced the Padma Awards for 2024, which are some of the highest civilian honors in the country.

This year, three of the five Padma Vibhushan awardees are from Kerala, including the late V.S. Achuthanandan and K.T. Thomas, who are well-known, and P. Narayanan, who is less known but has been involved in promoting Hindutva ideologies.

There is controversy over the inclusion of Bhagat Singh Koshyari, who was awarded the Padma Bhushan despite making controversial remarks and swearing in a chief minister who did not have a majority.

While the government is being praised for recognizing unsung heroes of rural India, it is also being criticized for including ideologues and controversial figures in the list of awardees.