Sunil Chhetri, Gautam Gambhir and Bachendri Pal among 47 offered with Padma award

New Delhi, Mar 16 President Ram Nath Kovind on Saturday gave the Padma Awards to 47 prominent and inspiring personalities, including nine from sports.

Prominent among those who got the prestigious honour were ace cricketer Gautam Gambhir, MDH group owner Mahashay Dharampal Gulati, football captain Sunil Chhetri, basketball player Prashanti Singh, toxophilite Bombayla Devi Laishram and grandmaster Harika Dronavalli.

Cricketer Gambhir was deliberated with Padma Shri – the nation's fourth most elevated regular citizen grant – for his enormous and rousing commitment to the round of Cricket.

Bachendri Pal, who was the first Indian lady to climb Mount Everest, was respected with the nation's third highest civilian award - Padma Bhushan.

The investiture ceremony was held at the majestic hall of the Rashtrapati Bhawan.

Padma Awards - one of the highest civilian awards of the nation - are presented in three categories, to be specific - Padma Vibhushan, Padma Bhushan and Padma Shri.

The honors are given in different teaches and fields of activities, viz-art, social work, open issues, science and designing, trade and industry, medicine, literature and education, sports, civil service, etc..

This year 112 personalities got the honour, out of which 56 identities were given away the respect on March 11 and the rest were concurred with the honors on Saturday.

Sports identities who have gotten this prestigious award on March 11 included Harika Dronavalli, chess player; Sharath Kamal, table tennis player; Bajrang Punia, freestyle wrestler and Ajay Thakur, chief of Indian Kabaddi team.