Singer Sonu Nigam expressed his disappointment recently. As known, on the eve of Republic Day, 139 individuals were honored with the 2025 Padma Awards, including seven Padma Vibhushan, 19 Padma Bhushan, and 113 Padma Shri recipients. Among them, singer Sharda Sinha was posthumously awarded the Padma Vibhushan, and Arijit Singh was named a Padma Shri recipient.
Nigam has raised concerns about the jury’s decisions, questioning why several iconic artists were overlooked. In a video shared on Instagram, Nigam highlighted that legends like Mohammed Rafi and Kishore Kumar, who have inspired singers worldwide, had not been adequately recognized. He expressed dismay that Rafi was limited to a Padma Shri, while Kishore Kumar had not received any Padma honor, even posthumously.
Nigam also pointed out the lack of recognition for contemporary singers such as Alka Yagnik, Shreya Ghoshal, and Sunidhi Chauhan. He emphasized Yagnik’s long and successful career, Ghoshal’s consistent excellence, and Chauhan’s influence on an entire generation with her distinctive voice.
View Instagram Post 1: Sonu Nigam expresses disappointment over Padma Awardees 2025.
In his post, Nigam invited his followers to share names of artists who have yet to receive a Padma award. Singer Shraddha Pandit supported his sentiments, calling his statements accurate.
Notably, Nigam himself received the Padma Shri in 2022 but had expressed disappointment at the delay. At the time, he remarked that the recognition came too late in his career. Having sung over 10,000 songs in multiple Indian languages, Nigam remains a significant figure in Indian music.
Nigam’s remarks have sparked a conversation among fans and the music community about the need for fair recognition of artists’ contributions to Indian culture.
