Padma Bhushan winners

This year's Padma Bhushan honours cover some eminent personalities from different fields. Let's have a look at the winners... Aamir Khan has been honoured with the 'Padma Bhushan' award on the occasion of 61st Republic Day. The actor, who made his directorial debut with the critically-acclaimed 'Taare Zameen Par', recently came out with movie '3 Idiots', which has become the highest earning movie in Bollywood.  (BCCL/Sachin Gokhale)

A R Rahman, who made us proud by winning the Oscar for 'Slumdog Millionaire', has been awarded with 'Padma Bhushan'. In a career spanning over a decade by selling more than 100 million records of his film scores and soundtracks worldwide and over a 200 million cassettes, which makes him one of the world's all-time top selling recording artists.  (BCCL/K.S Prakaash)

Saif Ali Khan rose into prominence with his performance in movie 'Dil Chahta Ha', which marked his professional turning point. His performance in 'Kal Ho Naa Ho' won him the 'Filmfare Best Supporting Actor Award' and has also won the 'National Film Award for Best Actor' for his performance in movie 'Hum Tum'. Saif then had commercial success with films like 'Salaam Namaste', 'Race' and 'Love Aaj Kal', and starred in critically acclaimed projects like 'Parineeta' and 'Omkara'. These achievements put him among the most successful actors in the industry. He is the founder-owner of his production company 'Illuminati Films'.

Sound editor and mixer, Resul Pookutty won the 'Oscar Award for Best Sound Mixing' for film 'Slumdog Millionaire'. He has worked for Hollywood, Bollywood and also for the Malayalam film industry.

Noted for her versatility as an actress, Rekha was particularly recognised for playing female oriented characters, such as that of the school girl in movie 'Khubsoorat' and as a decisive avenger in 'Khoon Bhari Maang', both of which earned her the 'Filmfare Best Actress Award'. Her portrayal of a classical courtesan in 'Umrao Jaan' got her the 'National Film Award for Best Actress'. She has acted in over 180 films in a span of 40 years.  (AFP)

Veteran actress, Zohra Segal started her career as a dancer with legendary dancer, Uday Shankar in 1935. She has appeared in many Bollywood films as well as English films and television series. Zohra is most known for her appearances in movies like 'Bhaji on the Beach' in 1992, 'Dil Se' and 'Cheeni Kum'. She got her first 'Padma Shri' award in 1998.

Famous Indian theatre director, Ebrahim Alkazi, who was the founding head of the India's premier theatre training institute, the 'National School of Drama' in New Delhi. He was well-known for training many film and theatre actors like Om Puri, Naseeruddin Shah and Jyoti Subhash. Ebrahim has received many prestigious awards including the Padma Shree, Padma Bhushan and Sangeet Natak Akademi.

Ustad Sultan Khan is an Indian Sarangi player and a singer. He is one of the members of the Indian fusion group 'Tabla Beat Science' and has won numerous musical awards, including twice the Sangeet Natya Academy Award and the American Academy of Artists Award in 1998.

A well-known music composer, Ilaiyaraaja will be receiving the 'Padma Bhushan' award. He has been a prominent film composer in Southern Indian cinema since the late 1970s. His work integrated Tamil folk lyricism and introduced broader Western musical sensibilities into the South Indian musical mainstream. He has won thrice the prestigious 'Indian National Film Award'.  (BCCL/K.S Prakaash)

The daughter of famous classical dancer, Mrinalini Sarabhai and renowned space scientist, Vikram Sarabhai, Mallika Sarabhai has accomplished herself as a noted Kuchipudi and Bharatanatyam dancer. She is also known for her contributions in the fields of theatre, television, writing and publishing.  (PTI)

Hindistani classical singer, Pandit Chhannulal Mishra is a noted member of the 'Kirana Gharana' of Hindustani classical music. He in the past has been honoured with prestigious awards like 'Shiromani Award' and 'Sangeet Natak Akademi Award'.

Akbar Padamsee will be honoured with the 'Padma Bhushan' award this year.

Umayalpuram K. Sivaraman is regarded as one of the most well-known Mridangam artists of today and will be awarded with the 'Padma Bhushan'.