Sonu Nigam receives Padma Shri from President Ram Nath Kovind, days after saying ‘it is too late’

Singer Sonu Nigam has been conferred with the Padma Shri by President Ram Nath Kovind at a function in Rashtrapati Bhavan, Delhi. Taking to Twitter, the President of India shared a picture on Monday evening. The President presented Padma awards for 2022 at the Civil Investiture Ceremony-II.

Along with the photo, the caption read, “President Kovind presents Padma Shri to Shri Sonu Nigam for Art. A well-known singer and music director, he has sung over 6,000 songs in more than 28 languages.” For the event, Sonu wore an all-white ethnic outfit with black shoes. He smiled as he received the award.

Sonu has predominantly sung in Hindi and Kannada language films. He has also sung in Odia, Bengali, Gujarati, Tamil, Telugu, Marathi, Nepali, Malayalam, Kannada, Bhojpuri, and other Indian languages. He is also a recipient of several accolades, including a National Film Award for the title track of the 2003 romantic film Kal Ho Naa Ho. Sonu’s songs include Kal Ho Na Ho, Ye Dil Deewana, Abhi Mujh Mein Kahin, Mai Agar Kahoon, Saathiya, Hans Mat Pagli, Do Pal, and Sandese Aate Hai among many others.

Last month in an interview with Bollywood Hungama, Sonu had said that initially, he had said that he wouldn’t be able to accept the award. He had also prepared a reply in anticipation of a call for Padma Shri. He had revealed that he would respond with ‘Don’t you think it is too late in the day to give me Padma Shri?’

He had said, “‘You guys are giving me Padma Shri now? You guys have been teasing me for a long time. We are also human beings and we also get lured by these temptations. Is there a person who would be felicitated with an award and would not like it? Those who don’t get it, only they say it like that. It’s a good feeling to be given acclamation and recognition at the right time. Justice given late isn’t called justice. So I said, ‘I won’t be able to accept this award’. I said ‘This is too late. You are giving Padma Shri to me now. I am past that stage of expecting and I have stopped looking in that direction already’.”

“I am also aware of who nominated my name as well. He is a legendary classical singer. I will ask him one day if I can tell his name publicly or not someday. Everything has happened so beautifully because a musical authority nominated by name that ‘You should give it to him because it’s been far too late’,” Sonu had also added.