Mumbai, Jan 25 : The Centre on the eve of Republic Day on Saturday conferred Padma awards on 14 eminent personalities from Maharashtra.

Former Lok Sabha Speaker and former Maharashtra Chief Minister late Manohar Joshi and a renowned Fazal and playback singer late Pankaj Udhas have been posthumously awarded Padma Bhushan.

Moreover, twelve others have been awarded Padma Shri. The list includes Calligrapher Achyut Palav, former SBI chairperson Arundhati Bhattacharya, veteran actor and Maharashtra Bhushan Ashok Saraf, veteran classical singer Ashwini Bhide-Deshpande, leading actor Shekhar Kapur, Baripada forest conservator Chaitram Pawar, veteran singer Jaspinder Narula, naturalist, wildlife conservationist and Marathi writer Maruti Chitampalli, veteran flautists Ronu and Ranendra Bhanu Majumdar, agricultural expert Subhash Sharma, painter Vasudev Kamat and senior homoeopathy expert Dr Vilas Dangre.

Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis has congratulated and wishes all the best for the future endeavours of all Padma awardees.

'All of them have enhanced the glory of their respective fields with their respective achievements. Due to this the reputation of these sectors has been enhanced. It is inspiring,' he said.

Fadnavis mentioned that the birthplace of Chitampalli and Dr Dangre hail from Nagpur and especially from the Vidarbha region.

Deputy Chief Minister Eknath Shinde and DCM Ajit Pawar also congratulated all Padma awardees saying that they come from various fields. It had been a major honour for the state also.

/IANS