The Padma Awards are one of the highest civilian honours of India announced annually and conferred on the recommendations made by the Padma Awards Committee. For the year of 2024, Indian media veterans Hormusji N Cama, Kundan Vyas and Surendra Kishore were enlisted among 132 recipients of the coveted Padma Awards.
While Vyas and Cama received the prestigious Padma Bhushan awards, Kishore was honoured with the Padma Shri Award. These awards celebrated their achievements and valuable contributions in the fields of Literature, education and journalism.
The position of Managing Director at Mumbai Samachar, as well as the position of Director at Bombay Associated Newspapers is meticulously held by Hormusji Nusserwanji Cama. He is also known for serving as the Chairman of the Audit Bureau of Circulations for the tenure of 2018-19, two terms as the President of the Indian Newspaper Society (INS), Chairman of the Press Trust of India (PTI) and the Media Research Users Council (MRUC), thereby establishing a distinguished career. He is an active board member of INS, PTI and MRUC. The Cama family has had a deep-rooted involvement in the media sector, as they have been the proprietors of the Mumbai Samachar newspaper since 1933.
Kundan Vyas is the chief editor of Janmabhoomi newspaper which began its circulation on June 9, 1934. He has also served as the President at The Indian Newspaper Society ( INS ) for the year 2010-11.
Kishore, born on January 2, 1947, is an experienced journalist who has dedicated over five decades to practising candid journalism in Patna. He is highly praised for his straightforwardness, integrity, and sincerity. He has worked for Dainik Aaj, Jansatta and Hindustan till 2005. He followed socialist ideology and advocated people against injustice.
This year, a total of 132 Padma Awards will be presented, with 19 already announced in the Literature and Education category for 2024. Among them, there are 2 Padma Bhushan and 17 Padma Shri recipients. Pierre Sylvain Filliozat and Fred Negrit from France are among those receiving the Padma Shri in Literature and Education as foreign awardees.
The Padma Awards are granted to individuals who have excelled in various spheres of life including Science and Engineering, Social Work, Public Affairs, Art, Medicine, Literature and Education, Sports, and Civil Service.