Ahead of the Government’s official announcement of top civil honour recipients, yoga guru Swami Ramdev and spiritual leader Sri Sri Ravi Shankar have declined the Padma Vibhushan award being considered for them. In a letter addressed to Union Home Minister Rajnath Singh, Ramdev said that he learnt about the award being conferred on him for which he was grateful to the Government. But being an ascetic he expressed his inability to accept the award and instead urged the Centre to confer it on any other deserving individual.
Ravi Shankar took to Twitter to inform about his decision. “Rajnath Singhji called to inform me about Padma Awards. I thank Govt for considering me. Instead of me, I’d like them to honour someone else,” he tweeted. Certain news reports had leaked the Padma list prior to the official announcement raising questions on whether the yoga guru’s proximity to the Central leadership was one reason for him to be considered for Padma Vibhushan, the second-highest civilian honour.