Kamal Hassan's Statement On Receiving Padma Bhushan Award
News
oi-Prakash
By Ramchander
After
receiving
the
award,
Kamal
Hassan
released
a
press
release.
Find
it
below...
I
was
once
again
standing
among
stalwarts.
At
The
(Presidents
residence)
Rashtrapathi
Bhawan,
I
thought
since
I've
been
there
and
done
it
once
I
would
not
be
as
moved
as
I
was
the
first
time.I
was
in
for
a
surprise.
I
felt
even
more
emotional
this
time.
Age,
I
thought
would've
brought
about
the
required
pragmatism
or
even
skepticism.
After
all
politicians
are
also
involved
in
this
selection
process
but
I
felt
myself
moved
to
tears.
I
fully
believed
in
my
countries
intellectual
bounty
as
I
saw
stalwarts
of
various
fields
rubbing
shoulders
with
me.
Champions,
who
were
individually
moving
the
country
in
their
respective
fields,
in
the
right
direction
forward,
as
the
national
anthem
played
I
once
again
forgot
all
the
corruption,
horse
trading,
rapes
and
other
misdemeanours
of
some
of
my
fellow
countrymen.
The
good
parts
stood
out,
the
faces
of
the
naïve
and
honest
people
who
loved
this
country
ran
like
a
movie
montage
in
my
mind.
I
was
glad
to
see
my
siblings
and
parents
face
in
that
montage.
I
looked
around
me
proud
to
be
among
champions
absolutely
humbled
by
all
the
talent
and
achievement
they
stood
for.
I
once
again
pledged
my
commitment
to
the
country
and
hoped
I
won't
have
to
leave
it
in
anger
in
future.
I
found
myself
to
be
positive.
I
am
proud
to
be
an
Indian.
It
has
all
to
do
with
Indians
and
nothing
to
do
with
state
of
Indian
politics
and
politicians.
Some
of
my
heroes
were
there
at
Rashtrapathi
Bhavan
and
many
more
faceless
heroes
whom
I
am
yet
to
aquitainmyself
with
are
out
there
doing
their
duty
to
the
country.
Most
unsung
and
some
getting
a
mere
recognition
or
none
at
all,
I
mentally
saluted
those
true
Indians
as
my
national
anthem
came
to
an
end.
If
someone
had
read
this
piece
to
me
before
my
visit
to
The
Rashtrapathi
Bhavan
I
would
have
rated
the
writing
as
mushy.
But
being
there
is
another
experience
which
makes
you
sort
of
sentimental.
I
guess
that
was
and
is
the
purpose
of
these
ceremonies.