Mammootty deserved a Padma award; eminent Keralites ignored: Satheesan

Kochi: Kerala’s Opposition Leader, V D Satheesan, has raised concerns about the limited recognition given to actor Mammootty and other distinguished individuals from the state in the Padma Awards. In a Facebook post, the Congress leader expressed that there is a long list of deserving personalities from Kerala who have not yet been honoured with any Padma awards from the Central government. Satheesan highlighted names such as T Padmanabhan, M K Sanu, C Radhakrishnan, Sara Joseph, Sajitha Shankar, Sujatha Mohan, M N Karassery, Nedumudi Venu, Dr M V Pillai, Deepan Sivaraman, and V S Vijayan as examples.

Stating that this list comprises individuals who have excelled in their respective fields, maintained high intellectual standards and upheld democratic principles, Satheesan emphasized the oversight. He expressed his realization of the neglect towards Mammootty, especially in light of actors Chiranjeevi and Mithun Chakraborty being chosen for Padma Vibhushan and Padma Bhushan respectively in the recent awards.

Mammootty received the Padma Shri in 1998, and Satheesan questioned why, even after a quarter-century, the acclaimed actor has not been selected for another Padma award. Satheesan underlined Mammootty's significant contributions to cinema and suggested that if any Indian movie star deserved a Padma Vibhushan or Padma Bhushan, it should be Mammootty.

The opposition leader also criticized the Padma Awards committee for overlooking veteran poet and filmmaker Sreekumaran Thampi for years. He questioned why Sreekumaran Thampi, a contemporary of P Bhaskaran and O N V Kurup, has not been included in the list.

While expressing his congratulations to all the award winners, Satheesan highlighted that Padma awards, being presented by the nation, should contribute to strengthening the beautiful and magnificent idea of India.