Padma Shri (also Padmashree)
Award Information
Type	Civilian
Category	National
Instituted	1954
First Awarded	1954
Last Awarded	2012
Total Awarded	2497
Awarded by	Government of India
Award Rank
Padmabhushan ← Padma Shri (also Padmashree) → none

Padma Shri (also Padmashree) is the fourth highest civilian award in the Republic of India, after the Bharat Ratna, the Padma Vibhushan and the Padma Bhushan. It is awarded by the Government of India.

History[link]

It is awarded to citizens of India to recognize their distinguished contribution in various spheres of activity including the Arts, Education, Industry, Literature, Science, Sports, Medicine, Social Service and Public Affairs. However it has also been awarded to some distinguished individuals who were not citizens of India and who did contribute in various ways to India.

The selection criteria, however, has been heavily criticized as many highly deserving artists have been left out in order to favor certain individuals.^{[citation needed]}

On its obverse, the words "Padma", meaning lotus in Sanskrit and "Shri", in Devanagari, appear above and below a lotus flower. The geometrical pattern on either side is in burnished bronze. All embossing is in white gold.

As of 2012^[update], 2497 people have received the award.^[1][2][3]

See also[link]

• Padma Shri Awards (1954–1959)
• Padma Shri Awards (1960–1969)
• Padma Shri Awards (1970–1979)
• Padma Shri Awards (1980–1989)
• Padma Shri Awards (1990–1999)
• Padma Shri Awards (2000–2009)
• Padma Shri Awards (2010–2019)

References[link]

• "Padma Awards Directory (1954-2009)". Ministry of Home Affairs. http://www.mha.nic.in/pdfs/LST-PDAWD.pdf. 

External links[link]

Wikimedia Commons has media related to: Padma Shri

• "Padma Awards". Ministry of Communications and Information Technology. http://india.gov.in/myindia/padmashri_awards_list1.php. 
• "Padma Awards Directory (1954-2009)". Ministry of Home Affairs. http://www.mha.nic.in/pdfs/LST-PDAWD.pdf. 
• "Padma Awards Directory (2010)". Ministry of Home Affairs. http://www.mha.nic.in/pdfs/PadmaAwd2010.pdf. 

v t e Indian honours and decorations Civilian International Gandhi Peace Prize National Bharat Ratna Padma Vibhushan Padma Bhushan Padma Shri National Bravery Award Central Mahapandit Rahul Sankrityayan Award Ganga Sharan Award Ganesh Hindi Vidyarthi Award Aatma Ram Award Subramanya Bharathi Award George Grierson Award Moturi Satyanarayan Award By field Literature Jnanpith Award Sahitya Akademi Fellowship Sahitya Akademi Award Cinema Dadasaheb Phalke Award National Film Awards Other arts Sangeet Natak Akademi Fellowship Sangeet Natak Akademi Award Lalit Kala Akademi Fellowship Sports Rajiv Gandhi Khel Ratna Award Arjuna Award Dronacharya Award (coaching) Dhyan Chand Award (lifetime achievement) Science and Technology Shanti Swarup Bhatnagar Prize for Science and Technology Military Wartime Param Vir Chakra Maha Vir Chakra Vir Chakra Peacetime Ashoka Chakra Kirti Chakra Shaurya Chakra Wartime / Peacetime Service & Gallantry Sena Medal (Army) Nao Sena Medal (Navy) Vayusena Medal (Air Force) Wartime Distinguished Service Sarvottam Yudh Seva Medal Uttam Yudh Seva Medal Yudh Seva Medal Peacetime Distinguished Service Param Vishisht Seva Medal Ati Vishisht Seva Medal Vishisht Seva Medal

The Saint may refer to:

Fiction[link]

• Simon Templar, also known as "The Saint", the protagonist of a book series by Leslie Charteris and subsequent adaptations:
  • The Saint (film series), starring Louis Hayward (1938; 1953), George Sanders (1939–1941) and Hugh Sinclair (1941–1943)
  • The Saint (radio show) (1944–1951), a radio program starring Vincent Price and others on NBC Radio
  • The Saint (comics) (1948-1961), a long-running comic strip series
  • The Saint (TV series) (1962–1969), a British television series starring Roger Moore
    • For the 1970s series starring Ian Ogilvy, see Return of the Saint
  • The Saint (TV Films) 1989 TV movie series starring Simon Dutton
  • The Saint (film) (1997), an American film starring Val Kilmer
    • The Saint (soundtrack), a soundtrack album from the 1997 film
    • The Saint (novel), a novelization of the 1997 film, by Burl Barer
• "The Saint" (Law & Order: Criminal Intent), an episode of Law & Order: Criminal Intent
• Il santo (novel), a novel by Antonio Fogazzaro
• The Saint, an omnibus edition of the Gaunt's Ghosts novels, Honour Guard through Sabbat Martyr, by Dan Abnett

Music[link]

• The Saint (music venue), a club showcasing live, original music in Asbury Park, New Jersey
• "The Saint" (song), a song by Orbital from the 1997 film soundtrack of the same title
• The Saints (band), an Australian punk band
• The Saints (1960s band), an English instrumental band

Newspapers[link]

• The Saint (UK newspaper), a student newspaper at the University of St. Andrews, St. Andrews, United Kingdom
• The Saint (newspaper), a student newspaper at St. Clair College in Ontario, Canada

Other uses[link]

• The Saint (club), gay nightclub in New York City that operated from 1980 to 1990
• Basilica of Saint Anthony of Padua, known locally as "il Santo"
• Play Radio (Hampshire), a radio station formerly known at "The Saint"
• Ian St. John, Scottish football player nicknamed "The Saint"
• WVCR-FM, Siena College radio station

See also[link]

• Saint (disambiguation)

This disambiguation page lists articles associated with the same title. If an internal link led you here, you may wish to change the link to point directly to the intended article.

Ameen Sayani is a popular radio announcer from India. He achieved fame and popularity all across South Asia when he presented his Binaca Geetmala program of hits over the airwaves of Radio Ceylon.^[1] He is one of the most imitated announcers even today. His style of addressing crowd with "Bhaiyo aur Behno" is still being treated as announcement with melodious touch.

Career[link]

Ameen Sayani belonged to a band of announcers of Radio Ceylon who enjoyed iconic status with millions of listeners. His multi-talented brother, Hamid Sayani (an eminent broadcaster in English) nudged him at an early age into stage acting and direction, compering, writing and even a little bit of “magic”. Then introduced him to All-India Radio, Bombay, where he participated in English programmes for ten years.

He helped popularize Radio Ceylon in India and the station ruled the airwaves in the 1950s and 1960s. Ameen Sayani was also a part of various movies throughout the years like Bhoot Bungla, Teen Devian, Boxer, Qatl etc. He appeared in all of these movies in the role of an announcer in some event.

From 1945 to 1960, Ameen Sayani helped his mother Kulsum Sayani in editing the journal "Rahber", published fortnightly for neo-literates, started by Mahatma Gandhi. The journal was also published in the Devnagri (Hindi), Urdu and Gujarati scripts. He was an expert in communicating in clear and credible Hindi.

Sayani is still active in radio in India. He remains a "golden voice" of Indian radio.^[2]

Honors and Awards[link]

He was conferred the Padma Shri award in 2009.^[3]. Besides this, Ameen Sayani has been felicitated with many awards:

• Living Legend Award (2006) from Federation OF Indian Chambers OF Commerce & Industry, with India Radio Forum
• Dadasaheb Phalke Award (2003)
• Kaan Hall Of Fame Award (2003) from Radio Mirchi (FM Network of the Times Group)
• Golden Abby by Advertising Club, Bombay (2000 )
• Hall Of Fame Award (1993) fromIndian Academy Of Advertising Film Art (IAAFA)
• Person Of The Year Award (1992) Limca Book Of Records
• Gold medal(1991) from Indian Society Of Advertisers (ISA) presented by Mr. K.R. Narayanan, then Vice-President of India.

See also[link]

• Radio Ceylon
• Binaca Geetmala
• List of Binaca Geetmala annual chart toppers
• Binaca Geetmala Eagle Stereo cassete in Pakistan

References[link]

External links[link]

• The Indian Broadcaster
• SLBC-creating new waves of history
• Eighty Years of Broadcasting in Sri Lanka
• Vernon Corea The Golden Voice of Radio Ceylon
• Sri Lanka Broadcasting Corporation

This Indian biographical article is a stub. You can help Wikipedia by expanding it. v t e

This article may require cleanup to meet Wikipedia's quality standards. No cleanup reason has been specified. Please help improve this article if you can; the talk page may contain suggestions. (December 2008)

Juthika Roy is a famous bhajan singer.

She started singing at an early age. She has sung many songs for music directors including her first mentor Kazi Nazrul Islam (whom she called Kazi Da) and the great bengali music director Kamal Dasgupta. It is said that Kamal Das Gupta and Kumari Juthika Roy recorded a naat in the late 1930s that impressed Gupta so much that he embraced Islam. Her singing was liked by many including Mahatma Gandhi. She has sung for many Bengali & Hindi movies also but she is most popularly known for her Meera Bhajans. She is now over 85 years old and lives in her Shyampukur Street, Kolkata house with her sisters.

Some Juthika Roy songs[link]

• meri prem ki naiya (sung for Kamal Dasgupta)
• darshan bina prabhuji
• ghunghat ka pat khol
• kanhaiya pe tan man
• pag ghungharu bandh meera nachi
• tore angse ang milake kanhaii
• tulsi mira sur kabir
• badal dekh rahi
• bolre madhuban mein
• chupke chupke bol maina
• Roti Ankhiyan
• aakash tale jab deep
• aankhin mein mathura
• Anjaan nagar anjaan dagar
• Maine Chakrar rakhi ji
• Main Ram nam ki churiyan pahenu
• Main to wari jaun Ram
• Meri Veena Ro Rahi Hai
• Mat ja jogi mat ja
• Pag gunghat bandh Meera nachire

Awards[link]

• 1972: Padma Shri

Juthika Roy is a legendary bhajan singer with a very sweet voice. She started singing at the age of seven and recorded her first Hindi bhajan at the age of 12. Her first album was recorded with the guidance of her mentor Kazi Nazrul Islam whom she called Kazi Da. She sang many songs for the great music director Kamal Dasgupta. She went on to sing in Bengali & Hindi movies also but she is best known for her Meera Bhajans. She was awarded the Padmashree in 1972.

References[link]

• Ali, Ghafar (July 21, 2003). "NWFP govt’s ban fails to dissuade music enthusiast. Old municipal worker shows off 14,000 rare Indian and Pakistani music pieces". The Daily Times (Pakistan). http://www.dailytimes.com.pk/default.asp?page=story_21-7-2003_pg7_42. Retrieved 2008-10-13. 
• [1] has more details and provides some of her songs for download.
• [2] has a nice 2006 article by Juthika Roy narrating her meeting with Mahatma Gandhi.

This article about an Indian singer is a stub. You can help Wikipedia by expanding it. v t e

Zohra Sehgal^[1][2] (born 27 April 1912) is an Indian stage and film actress, who started her career as dancer with dancer Uday Shankar in 1935 and worked with him for the next eight years. She has appeared in many Bollywood films as well as English language films and television series. She is most known for her appearances in Bhaji on the Beach (1992), The Mystic Masseur (2001), Bend It Like Beckham (2002), Dil Se.. (1998) and Cheeni Kum (2007); and the TV series, The Jewel in the Crown (1984), Tandoori Nights (1985–87), Amma and Family (1996).^[3] Considered the doyenne of Indian theatre, she acted with Indian People's Theatre Association (IPTA) and Prithviraj Kapoor's Prithvi Theatre for fourteen years, during the period traveled over India, with the troupe.^[4]

She was awarded the Padma Shri in 1998, Kalidas Samman in 2001, and in 2004, the Sangeet Natak Akademi, India's National Academy for Music, Dance and Drama, presented her with its highest award, the Sangeet Natak Akademi Fellowship for lifetime achievement. She received the Padma Vibhushan, India's second-highest civilian honor, in 2010.^[5]

Early life and education[link]

She was born Zohra Mumtaz (Sahibzadi Zohra Begum Mumtaz-ullah Khan') on 27 April 1912, in Saharanpur, Uttar Pradesh, India, to Mumtazullah Khan and Natiqua Begum, belonging to Rampur, Uttar Pradesh. She was third of her seven siblings – Zakullah, Hajrah, Ikramullah, Uzra (Uzra Butt), Anna and Sabira – and grew up in Chakrata, now in Uttarakhand (near Dehradun). As a girl she was a tomboy fond of climbing trees and playing games.

Zohra, lost vision in her left eye as she contracted glaucoma at the age of 1. She was referred to a hospital in Birmingham where she was treated at a cost of £300,000.

She lost her mother while still young. As per their mother's wishes, she and her sister were sent to Queen Mary's Girls College, Lahore, attended by the daughters of aristocratic families, and with all English staff. Strict purdah was observed in the institution and the few males invited to speak there had to do so from behind a screen.^[6] As a result of seeing her sister's failed marriage, she decided to pursue a career, rather than get married.^[7][8]

Upon graduating, her maternal uncle, Sahebzada Saeeduzzafar Khan, who was based in Edinburgh to study medicine,^[9] arranged for her to apprentice under a British actor. So they started from Lahore by car and, en route, crossed Iran, Palestine, before reaching Damascus, Syria, where she met her cousin. Then they traveled into Egypt and caught a boat to Europe in Alexandria.^[10]

In Europe her aunt Dicta took her to try in the Mary Wigman’s ballet school in Dresden, Germany, but she had not ever danced, having lived in purdah for so long. Nevertheless she got admission and became the first Indian to study at the institution.^[11] She stayed in Dresden for the next three years studying modern dance, while living in the house of Countess Liebenstein. Then she happened to watch the Shiv-Parvati ballet by Uday Shankar, who was touring Europe. This was to change her life forever as, impressed by the performance, she went back stage to meet Uday Shankar, who promised her a job on her return to India, at the completion of her course.^[12]

Career[link]

Zohra Sehgal (bottom left) part of the Uday Shankar Ballet Troupe, ca (1935–37).

While still in Europe, she received a telegram from Uday Shankar: "Leaving for Japan tour. Can you join immediately?"^[10] Thus on 8 August 1935, she joined his troupe and danced across Japan, Egypt, Europe and the US, as a leading lady, along with French dancer, Simkie. When Uday Shankar moved back to India in 1940, she became a teacher at the Uday Shankar India Cultural Centre at Almora. It was here that she met Kameshwar Sehgal, an young scientist, painter and dancer from Indore, eight years her junior, belonging to the Radha Swami sect. There was initial opposition from her parents, but they eventually gave their approval to marry. They married on 14 August 1942. Jawaharlal Nehru was to attend the wedding reception, but he was arrested a couple of days earlier for supporting Gandhi's Quit India Movement.^[6]

Zohra and Kameshwar Sehgal had two children, Kiran (b. 1944) and Pavan. For a while the couple worked in Uday Shankar’s dance institute at Almora. Both became accomplished dancers and choreographers. Kameshwar composed a noted ballet for human puppets and choreographed the ballet Lotus Dance.^[13] When it shut down later, they migrated to Lahore and set up their own Zohresh Dance Institute. The growing communal tension preceding the Partition of India made them feel unwelcome. They migrated to Bombay, with one-year-old daughter, Kiran. By now, her sister Uzra Butt was already a leading lady with Prithviraj Kapoor's Prithvi Theatre. Ultimately, she too joined Prithvi Theatre in 1945, as an actress with a monthly salary of Rs 400, and toured every city across India with the group, for the next 14 years.

Also in 1945, soon after her arrival, she joined the leftist theatre group, IPTA, acted in several plays, and made her film debut in IPTA's first film production, directed by Khwaja Ahmad Abbas, Dharti Ke Lal in 1946; she followed it up with another IPTA-supported film, Chetan Anand's Neecha Nagar. In the same year, it became the first Indian film to gain critical international recognition and won the Palme d'Or at the Cannes Film Festival.^[14][15]

Her involvement remained mostly with the theatre, though she did do a few films in between. During their stay in Bombay, the couple came to know many celebrities, including Ebrahim Alkazi, in whose play, Din Ke Andhere, Zohra played the role of Begum Qudsia; K.A. Abbas, in whose plays she acted for IPTA; Chetan and Uma Anand in whose house the couple stayed when they first moved to Bombay; and Dev Anand his brother. She did choreography of a few Hindi films as well, including Guru Dutt's Baazi (1951) and the dream sequence song in Raj Kapoor's film Awaara.^[16] Kameshwar, on the other hand, became art director in Hindi films and later tried his hand at film direction.^[17]

Zohra Sehgal had been acting on the stage in different parts of India and putting up plays for jails inmates, including at Ferozepore jail.^[10] After staging a play, she stayed on to watch an execution.^{[citation needed]}

After her husband's death in 1959, Zohra first moved to Delhi and became director of the newly founded Natya Academy. She then moved London on a drama scholarship in 1962. Here she met Ram Gopal, a India-born Bharatnatyam dancer, and starting 1963, worked as a teacher in 'Uday Shankar style' of dance at his school in Chelsea, during the short period of its existence.^[18] Her first role for British television was in a BBC adaptation of a Kipling story, The Rescue of Pluffles, in 1964. She also anchored 26 episodes of BBC TV series, Padosi (Neighbours), made in 1976–77. Her career in the next almost two decades remained sporadic, despite several small appearances in many films.^[1]

In London, Zohra got her first break in the films and was signed by Merchant Ivory Productions. She appeared in The Courtesans of Bombay directed by James Ivory in 1982. This paved way for a important role as Lady Chatterjee in the television adaptation The Jewel in the Crown (ITV, 1984). Thus starting the second phase of her career, as she went on to appear in The Raj Quartet, The Jewel in the Crown, Tandoori Nights, My Beautiful Laundrette and others.

Return to India[link]

Zohra came back to India, in the mid-1990s and lived for a few months in Burdwan. At that time she acted in several films, plays and TV series since. She first performed poetry at a memorial to Uday Shankar organised by his brother, Ravi Shankar in 1983, and soon took it in big way; she started getting invited to perform poetry at various occasions. She even traveled to Pakistan to recite verses for "An Evening With Zohra". Over time even her impromptu performances of Punjabi and Urdu verses have become a norm, as after the stage performances she is often requested by the audience to recite Hafeez Jullundhri's famous nazm, Abhi To Main Jawan Hoon.^[12][19][20]

In 1993, a critically acclaimed play, Ek Thi Nani, was staged in Lahore for the first time, featuring Zohra and her sister Uzra Butt now staying in Pakistan. The play is based on the lives of Zohra and Uzra, who were separated by the Partition of India in 1947 and re-united only in the late 1980s, after a gap of 40 years. This was performed several times in India and Pakistan.^[20][21] A performance reading of its English version, A Granny for All Seasons, was held at UCLA in 2001.^[22] In 2008, at the United Nations Population Fund (UNPF)-Laadli Media Awards in New Delhi, she was felicitated as the 'Laadli of the century'; the award was handed over by the Chief Minister of Delhi, Sheila Dikshit.^[23]

Known for her sense of humour and wit, Zohra's all-time favourite quote remains:

"You are seeing me now, when I am old and ugly. You should have seen me then, when I was young and ugly."^[10]

Personal life[link]

She was married to Kameshwar Nath Segal.

She is based in Delhi, India, where she stays with her daughter, Kiran Segal, an Odissi dancer.^[11][24] Her son Pavan, who works for the WHO, married Seema Rai, the granddaughter of Munshi Premchand, and the couple have three children Rohan, Taamra and Anushka.

She is an agnostic^[25] having been an atheist in her youth.

Filmography[link]

As an actor[link]

Awards[link]

• 1963 Sangeet Natak Akademi Award^[26]
• 1998: Padma Shri^[27]
• 2001: Kalidas Samman
• 2002: Padma Bhushan
• 2004: Sangeet Natak Akademi Fellowship
• 2010: Padma Vibhushan

References[link]

Further reading[link]

• Stages: The Art and Adventures of Zohra Sehgal, by Zohra Sehgal, Joan Landy Erdman. Published by Kali for Women, 1997. ISBN 81-85107-59-9. (autobiography)
• Theatre and Activism in the 1940s . Essay by Zohra Sehgal Crossing boundaries, by Geeti Sen. Orient Blackswan, 1998. pp. 31–39. ISBN 81-250-1341-5.
• Shashi Kapoor presents the Prithviwallahs, by Shashi Kapoor, Deepa Gahlot, Prithvi Theatre (Bombay, India). Roli Books, 2004. ISBN 81-7436-348-3.

External links[link]

• Zohra Sehgal at the Internet Movie Database
• Zohra Segal Filmography at New York Times
• Zohra Sehgal uncut: Of love, acting & Bloody Mary CNN IBN