Kerala’s Leader of Opposition, V D Satheesan, has raised concerns about the recent Padma award announcements, alleging the neglect of talented individuals, including renowned actor Mammootty. Satheesan took to Facebook to express his disappointment, questioning why deserving personalities in various fields, such as writers T Padmanabhan and M K Sanu, and singer Sujatha Mohan, were overlooked.
In his post, Satheesan emphasized the importance of the Padma awards reaching the most deserving hands and highlighted the absence of several individuals who have demonstrated excellence, a commitment to freedom, noble thoughts, and democratic values in their respective domains.
Expressing his thoughts on the recent Padma awards given to actors Chiranjeevi and Mithun Chakraborty, Satheesan drew attention to Mammootty, who received the Padma Shri in 1998 and is yet to be honored with higher distinctions despite his remarkable acting career.
Satheesan firmly asserted that if any Indian actor deserves Padma Bhushan or Padma Vibhushan, Mammootty should be the top choice. He also questioned the oversight regarding the acclaimed poet-lyricist Sreekumaran Thampi in the Padma Awards selection.
Highlighting the significance of Padma awards as national honors, Satheesan extended congratulations to those who recently received the accolade from Kerala, including veteran BJP leader O Rajagopal and royal family member Aswathi Thirunal Gouri Lakshmi Bayi.
