Mithun Chakraborty, Usha Uthup conferred with Padma Bhushan, watch

Mithun Chakraborty

Veteran actor Mithun Chakraborty was conferred with the country's third-highest civilian award, the Padma Bhushan, by President Droupadi Murmu on Monday.

Mithun Chakraborty received the prestigious award in the presence of Prime Minister Narendra Modi, Home Minister Amit Shah, among others at Rashtrapati Bhavan in Delhi.

The actor, known for his iconic performances, expressed his heartfelt gratitude upon receiving the honour. "I am very happy. I have never asked for anything for myself from anyone in my life. I am very happy because when someone receives so much respect and honour... it's the happiest moment," Mithun said while speaking to ANI.

Reflecting on the moment he received the news of being awarded the Padma Bhushan, Mithun said, "When I received the call informing me that I was being awarded the Padma Bhushan, I was silent for a minute because I hadn't expected it... because it's a big thing. But I didn't expect it. I am happy. Thank you to everyone on the committee who selected me."

Fondly called 'Mithun Da' by his fans, the actor made his debut in films with Mrigayaa in 1976, and since then he has been entertaining audiences with his versatile acting skills. Mithun's portrayal of a Santhal rebel earned him the National Film Award for Best Actor in his first film. Later, he won two more National Film Awards for his roles in Tahader Katha (1992) and Swami Vivekananda (1998). In his decades-long career, Mithun Da also created a name for himself by featuring in chartbuster dance tracks including 'I Am a Disco Dancer (Disco Dancer)', 'Jimmy Jimmy (Disco Dancer)' and 'Super Dancer (Dance Dance)'.

President Droupadi Murmu on Monday conferred Padma Bhushan on veteran singer Usha Uthup in the field of Arts at a ceremony at Rashtrapati Bhavan here.

Bhajan singer Kaluram Bamaniya, Bangladeshi singer Rezwana Choudhury Bannya and Gopinath Swain were among the recipient of Padma Shri award. Bharatnatyam dancer Dr Padma Subrahmanyam was also honoured with the Padma Vibhushan.

(with inputs from ANI)