Recently, singer Sonu Nigam added his voice to the latter when he talked about the absence of Padma Awards for many deserving singers of India. In an Instagram video on Sunday, Sonu confessed that he admired the icons Kishore Kumar, Alka Yagnik, Shreya Ghoshal, and Sunidhi Chauhan, who cannot even get the prestigious awards even though they have been part of Indian music and have given their years of service to the industry.
Sonu mentioned that whereas another legend in singing, Mohammed Rafi, was awarded Padma Shri, Kishore Kumar who inspired generations of singers around the globe, did not receive even after death. Sonu said, “We have restricted one of them with Padma Shri, that’s Mohammad Rafi. The other did not get a Padma Shri, Kishore Kumar.
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He also talked about the contemporary singing careers and said, “Alka Yagnik has had an extraordinary career, but she hasn’t received anything yet. Shreya Ghoshal has been proving her brilliance for years, and she too deserves recognition. Sunidhi Chauhan has inspired an entire generation with her unique voice, but she remains unrecognized.
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Towards the end of the video, Sonu invited his followers to suggest other deserving individuals from various fields like music, acting, literature, and science who should be honored with Padma awards. His message resonated with many, including singer Shraddha Pandit, who commented, “Gospel truth spoken.”
This comes after Sonu himself received the Padma Shri in 2022, a moment he had initially hesitated over. Chasing his thoughts with Padma Shri in mind, he had humorously mentioned he would have declined it, asking, “Don’t you think it’s too late in the day to give me Padma Shri?”
