Secret Phone Call Before Padma Awards

The Padma Awards are among India's highest civilian honours. Every year, the awards are given to people who have made important contributions in different fields like cinema, sports, science, medicine, literature, and public service. While many people celebrate the winners, the selection often becomes a topic of discussion. Some believe certain personalities deserve the honour earlier, while others feel different people should have been chosen.

Senior Telugu actor and producer Murali Mohan, who received the Padma Shri this year, recently shared an interesting experience about how the award process works before the official announcement.

During a recent interview, Murali Mohan said that he received a phone call from the Union Home Ministry before his name was announced. The officials first confirmed his personal details and then asked whether he was willing to accept the Padma Shri award.

According to him, the officials explained that they now take permission from selected personalities before making the announcement. This is because some people have refused Padma awards in the past, believing they deserved a higher honour. By asking in advance, the government can avoid such situations.

Murali Mohan said he had always hoped to receive a Padma Award, but he never expected when it would happen. He also mentioned that many people believed he should have received the honour much earlier. However, he understood that it is not easy for officials in Delhi to identify every deserving person from different states across the country.

One of the most surprising parts of the process was the strict secrecy. Murali Mohan said he was clearly instructed not to tell anyone about the phone call, including his own family members, until the government officially announced the awards.

He even wondered if the call was genuine or a prank because it sounded unbelievable. Instead of celebrating immediately, he waited quietly. Only after the official Padma Awards list was released and he started receiving congratulatory messages did he finally believe the news was real.