At a glittering ceremony in the last week of March, at the forecourt of the Rashtrapati Bhavan, President Dr APJ Abdul Kalam presented the nation's highest civilian honors Padma Awards to prominent persons chosen for the Republic Day honors this year.

The Padma Awards were bestowed on five leaders from biotech and life science companies. The government of Karnataka too felicitated these Padma Awardees in April at Bangalore Bio 2005. A photo feature on the same.

Kiran Mazumdar-Shaw, CMD, Biocon Ltd, honored with the Padma Bhushan by President Dr Kalam.	K Varaprasad Reddy, managing director, Shantha Biotechnics, receives Padma Bhushan award from Dr Kalam.
Dr Kalam presents the Padma Shri to Dr Cyrus Soli Poonawalla, chairman, Serum Institute of India Ltd.	Prof VS Ramamurthy, Secretary, Department of Science & Technology, recieves the Padma Bhushan from Dr Kalam.
Karnataka industries minister, PGR Sindhia felicitates Padma Bhushan Kiran Mazumdar-Shaw and Padma Bhushan Prof VS Ramamurthy at Bangalore Bio on April 23. MK Shankaralinge Gowda, IT&BT Secretary, Government of Karnataka, looks on.