LUCKNOW, Jan. 26 -- Among the 139 Padma awardees whose names the Centre announced on the eve of 76th Republic Day on Saturday, 10-two Padma Bhushan and eight Padma Shri-are from Uttar Pradesh. The Padma Bhushan awardees from the state are Rambahadur Rai (literature and education) and Sadhvi Ritambhara (social work).

Among the eight who have been chosen for the Padma Shri award from the state are former speaker UP legislative assembly Hriday Narayan Dixit (literature and education); vice chancellor, King George's Medical University (KGMU), Lucknow, Dr Soniya Nityanand (medicine); Satyapal Singh (sports); Ganeshwar Shastri Dravid (literature and education); Ashutosh Sharma (science and engineering); Narayan (Bhulai Bhai) (posthumously for ...