Legendary playback singer Sonu Nigam expressed his disappointment on Sunday night after singers like Shreya Ghoshal, Alka Yagnik and Sunidhi Chauhan failed to receive the Padma Awards by the Indian government this year as well.
Sonu took to his Instagram handle and taunted the government for not honouring legendary singers Mohammad Rafi and Kishore Kumar for their contribution to music. "There are two singers who have inspired singers across the globe. One of them was honoured with the Padma Shri award, that’s Mohammad Rafi, but that's it. The other one didn’t even get a Padma Shri -- Kishore Kumar. Awards are being given posthumously too, right?" he questioned, taking a dig at the panel.
He went on to say, "Even amongst the singers who are still very much with us, Alka Yagnik, who has had such a long and illustrious career, has not received anything yet. Shreya Ghoshal has been proving her mettle for a long time now, she also must be honoured. Sunidhi Chauhan has inspired an entire generation with her unique voice. She also hasn't received anything yet. Kuch bhi nahi mila."
Concluding the video, he urged people to list the names of other singers, actors and other artists who deserve a Padma Award, but have not received it yet. "India and it's pending Padma Awardees," he captioned the video.
For the unawares, Sonu Nigam was honoured with the Padma Shri in 2022 by the then-President of India, Ram Nath Kovind.
On the eve of Republic Day, several celebs were announced as the recepients of the Padma Awards 2025. While actors Ajith Kumar and Nandamuri Balakrishna, filmmaker Sanjay Kapur and late singer Pankaj Udhas were honoured with Padma Bhushan, Arijit Singh, Ricky Kej and Ashok Saraf were bestowed with the Padma Shri.
