New Delhi: Noted Odissi danseuse Sonal Mansingh, Ghazal singer Jagjit Singh, senior journalist Prabhu Chawla and well known actors Aamir Khan and Naseeruddin Shah on April 3 received Padma awards from President A P J Abdul Kalam who set aside protocol and walked up to present the awards to seven others because of their poor health.

True to his unconventional style, 72-year-old Kalam briskly stepped down from the dais in the Durbar Hall of Rashtrapati Bhavan to present the coveted Padma Vibhushan to 83-year-old eminent ayurved Vaidya Brihaspati Dev Triguna award to a thunderous applause.

The President also ignored protocol in case of Padma Bhushan awardees noted dancer Ammannur Madhava Chakyar (86), vocalists B R Iyer (81) and M N Krishnan (75), writers O V Vijayan (73) and Nemichandra Jain (84) and scientist Rajinder Kumar (69).

Mansingh, who shared the country's second highest civilian award of Padma Vibhushan with Bal Ram Nanda (literature and education) and Triguna, said it was a special honour and proud moment for Indian classical dance.

99-year-old former Sikkim Chief Minister Kazi Lhendup Dorji Kangsarpa, during whose leadership Sikkim merged with India, was among seven others who were not present to receive the awards.

For the second consecutive year, the highest civilian honour of Bharat Ratna has not been conferred on anyone.

Altogether, 91 Padma awards including 32 Padma Bhushans and 55 Padma Shris were named for the awards on Republic Day this year.

PTI