Sandhya Mukherjee, also known as Sandhya Mukhopadhyay, a 90-year-old legendary vocalist, turned down a Padma Shri award on Tuesday, claiming it was more befitting of a novice performer than someone of her calibre. She is the second West Bengali to turn down a civilian honour. Former West Bengal Chief Minister Buddhadeb Bhattacharjee also turned down the Padma Bhushan award on Tuesday.
Mukherjee’s daughter, Soumi Sengupta stated that her mother told a top official on the phone from Delhi that she was not wanting to be declared a Padma Shri laureate and felt insulted by being granted the honour at her age. Her permission was sought to be named a Padma Shri on the Republic Day awards list.
While the former West Bengal chief minister’s refusal to accept the award is political – he has been a vociferous opponent of the BJP administration – Sengupta insists that her mother’s choice is not related to politics.
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Film writer Salim Khan had previously stated that he would not accept a Padma Shri award in 2015. Before him, historian Romila Thapar had turned down a Padma Bhushan in 2005 after returning her 1974 award in 1984 due to the Indian Army’s siege of the Golden Temple. In 1984, author Khushwant Singh returned his 1974 Padma Bhushan on the same issue, although he received the Padma Vibhushan in 2007.
The Padma Shri is the country’s fourth highest civilian award for distinguished service after the Bharat Ratna, Padma Vibhushan, and Padma Bhushan.
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