What's Hot?
By IANS - CHENNAI
26th January 2013 03:38 AM
Expressing dissatisfaction over the number of people from South India figuring in the Padma awards list for 2013, southern playback singer Sreeramamurthy Janaki Friday refused to accept Padma Bhushan award announced for her on the eve of 64th Republic Day,
"I'm saddened by the fact that north India has been given more prominence than south India. I'm extremely disappointed and I refuse to accept the award," Janaki told IANS.
The 74-year old veteran made her singing debut in 1957 Tamil film "Vidhiyin Vilayattu". She has crooned over 15,000 songs in a career spanning five decades across all southern languages and in Hindi.
She has a long association with singer S.P. Balasubramanyam. The two have sung more than 1,000 songs together.
She has won four National Awards and the prestigious "Kalamamani" state award of Tamil Nadu.
Copyright © 2012 The New Indian Express. All rights reserved.
Comments(49)
Good that she is not accepting. She just does not deserve it. Anyone looking north and south India does not deserve it in first place, no matter what. I will remove her songs today itself from my iphone and laptop. She does not deserve to be heard.
Posted by Abhishek at 01/26/2013 06:54 Reply to this Report abuse
even Rama and Krishna seem to be north indians. Come on janaki and others, throw their idols and values out of the state boundaries. Where is our country going?
Posted by sher singh at 01/26/2013 07:04 Reply to this Report abuse
I don't think any quota system prevails in the decision making process for Padma awards. It is unfortunate that singer S. Janaki has cited an unconvincing reason for rejecting the award.
Posted by Madhu at 01/26/2013 07:07 Reply to this Report abuse
These awards in no way reflect the contribution made by recipients nor is an indication that they are great.There were incidents where people awarded with such title were later on found to be indulging in antisocial/criminal activities embarrassing the government who found “merit” in them.Selection process is not transparent nor is it like IIT entrance based on score. People who enjoys clout with central government are obviously on the top of the list. Needless to say that sycophants/courtiers would get opportunities than meritorious people who do not agree with the policies of government.You will never find Kancha Ilaiah/Arundati Roy/Binayak Sen getting such recognition from our government,even if they are recognized by the rest of the world. Indians as a class lack sense of justice and are in a position to support anyone however unscrupulous they are,so long as it benefits them.That is why when two vehicles collide passengers of respective vehicles support the drivers.Krishnan Periye
Posted by Krishnan Periye at 01/26/2013 07:30 Reply to this Report abuse
Most of you seem to be showing your so-called 'Patriotism' today. The fact is India is not one country. It is a supposed 'Union' of different peoples, just like ex-USSR and rapidly heading that way. That said, i would like to give you inside scoop of these Padma Awards. Normally when one applies for any Padma Award, he/she needs Recos. Some 4-5 notable people have to Recommend him/her. This is then sent via the State Govt to Delhi, for PM's approval and then onto Rashtrapati Bhavan. But nowadays we have a PM without power, meaning Puppet Manmohan. So Sonia gets to decide the list. Such has become India, an Italian gets to pick the list! Of course there is a list from BJP ruled states and so on. The BJP literally begs for PMO( meaning Sonia!) to approve atleast 8-10 from their list. The Padma Awards are infact worthless, worse than Toilet paper to be exact. Even GOD cannot save India, which will soon be like ex-USSR and there is no escape from it!
Posted by Inside News at 01/26/2013 07:53 Reply to this Report abuse