Sharad Pawar, chief of the Nationalist Congress Party or NCP, and BJP veteran Murli Manohar Joshi have been awarded the country's second highest civilian honour, the Padma Vibhushan, this year. The Padma Shri awards celebrate the "Unsung Hero", with a 68-year-old martial art expert, a weaver and several doctors sharing honours with India's cricket and hockey captains Virat Kohli and PR Shreejesh and Olympic champs Sakshi Malik and Dipa Karmakar. Paralympian medalists Mariappan Thangavelu and Deepa Malik have also been awarded the Padma Shri. Singing legend KJ Yesudas has been awarded the Padma Vibhushan. Former Lok Sabha Speaker PA Sangma and Madhya Pradesh BJP leader Sunder Lal Patwa have been awarded the Padma Vibhushan posthumously.
