New Delhi [India], January 25 (ANI): Samajwadi Party (SP) founder Mulayam Singh Yadav, famed Indian architect Balkrishna Doshi and Indian paediatrician Dilip Mahalanabis, known for pioneering the use of oral rehydration therapy to treat diarrhoeal diseases, were honoured with second highest civilian award Padma Vibhushan posthumously along with three other recipients on Wednesday, the eve of the 74th Republic Day.

Tabla player Zakir Hussain, former Chief Minister of Karnataka SM Krishna and Indian American mathematician Srinivas Varadhan have also been honoured with the Padma Vibhushan.

Indian billionaire businessman Kumar Mangalam Birla, noted Indian novelist and philosopher SL Bhyrappa, playback singer in South Indian cinema Vani Jairam, Indian theoretical physicist and a distinguished professor Deepak Dhar were given the third-highest honour-- the Padma Bhushan-- along with nine other famous personalities including Swami Chinna Jeeyar, Suman Kalyanpur, Kapil Kapoor, Sudha Murty, and spiritual leader Kamlesh D Patel.

Dronacharya Awardee and an Indian cricket coach Gurcharan Singh, Vedic philosopher Sukama Acharya and Indian fine artist Jodhaiyabai Baiga have been awarded the Padma Shri -- the fourth highest honour-- alongwith 98 other recipients of this awardThere are 106 names on the list of Padma Awardees this year, including three duo cases. In a duo case, the award is counted as one. The list comprises six Padma Vibhushan, nine Padma Bhushan and 91 Padma Shri Awards. Nineteen awardees are women and the list also includes two persons from the category of Foreigners/NRI/PIO/OCI and seven posthumous awardees.

The Padma Awards, which were instituted in 1954, are one of the highest civilian honours of India announced annually on the eve of Republic Day. The Awards are given in three categories-- Padma Vibhushan (for exceptional and distinguished service), Padma Bhushan (distinguished service of higher order) and Padma Shri (distinguished service). The award seeks to recognize achievements in all fields of activities or disciplines where an element of public service is involved.

The Padma Awards are conferred on the recommendations made by the Padma Awards Committee, which is constituted by the Prime Minister every year. The Padma Awards Committee is headed by the Cabinet Secretary and includes Home Secretary, Secretary to the President and four to six eminent persons as members. The recommendations of the committee are submitted to the Prime Minister and the President of India for approval. (ANI)