‘Padma Shri demeaning for a singer of Sandhya Mukherjee’s stature’

Legendary Bengali singer Sandhya Mukherjee has refused an offer of a Padma Shri award, when she was contacted on phone by Indian government officials for her nod, her daughter Soumi Sengupta said last night.

Sandhya Mukherjee told the senior Home Ministry official, who called from New Delhi, that she was not willing to be named as a Padma Shri recipient, Soumi told the media soon after the list of awardees was announced on the eve of India's Republic Day parade.

"At the age of 90, with a singing career spanning more than eight decades being chosen for Padma Shri is demeaning for a singer of her stature," she said.