Dubai: For his exceptional contribution to the field of music and art, Indian playback singer Sonu Nigam will be awarded the Padma Shri, the country's fourth highest civilian honour.
The Padma Awards, which are one of the highest civilian awards of the country, are conferred in three categories, namely Padma Vibhushan, Padma Bhushan and Padma Shri. The awards are usually announced on the eve of Indian Republic Day, which is celebrated on January 26 every year.
Nigam, who has sung award-winning pieces in a number of popular Hindi films, is also a reality show judge and music director. He has worked in the industry for many years and is well-known for his singing prowess in many other Indian languages as well.
After the announcement of the award, the singer expressed his happiness at being selected for the recognition. Nigam issued a statement in which he shared that he would like to dedicate the award to his late mother Shobha Nigam.
"January 25 was a rather special day for me and my family. I'm very thankful to the Government of India for thinking of me as a deserving candidate and bestowing me the Padma Shri. My heartfelt thanks to all those who selected me and suggested my name for this prestigious honour. I would also like to thank my mother, Shobha Nigam, and my father, Agam Kumar Nigam. In fact, I want to dedicate this award to my mother. Had she been here today, she would have cried a lot," Nigam said.
The 'Kal Ho Naa Ho' singer also thanked his gurus for teaching him the valuable lessons of music. "Whatever I know today is because of them and their blessings. Watching and listening to them has been a learning experience for me. My sincere gratitude to my friends and colleagues who have been a part of my journey, and my family who is my pillar of support," his statement concluded.
He has has sang over 5,000 songs in many languages and has received a National Award for Best Male Playback Singer in 2003, for his performance in 'Kal Ho Naa Ho'. The singer began his career in 1990s. In addition to his numerous Indian awards and achievements he was twice named the number one artist on the Billboard Uncharted charts in the United States in 2013.
