100-year-old yoga teacher, President of Djibouti among foreigners who received Padma awards

This year Padma awards went to many foreigners, from President of Djibouti to a lady who devoted her life to looking after sick cows and an ageless yogini.

President who helped save stranded Indians

President of Djibouti Ismail Omar Guelleh was conferred Padma Vibhushan for extending his country's support to India's operation 'Rahat' for rescuing Indians and foreigners from war-hit Yemen in 2015.

Over 5,000 people were saved which included more than 4,500 Indians and many foreigners. The evacuation operation was started by the Indian Air Force and Air India on April 3, 2015, and was commanded by Minister of State (External Affairs) General VK Singh.

Djibouti became the centre of the rescue operation. President Guelleh had visited New Delhi in October 2015 during the 3rd India-Africa Summit. Djibouti is hosting Indian embassy to Yemen till normalcy returns in Yemen.

German who devoted life to cows

Germany's Friederike Irina was conferred Padma Shri. Irina, popularly known as Sudevi Mataji, has been taking care of sick and abandoned cows in Mathura for over two decades. She currently takes care of homeless, abandoned, sick, blind cows in her gaushala. She started her cowshed known as "Surbhai Gauseva Niketan" and manages to meet the monthly expense of Rs 22 lakh for running the cowshed through rent from her property in Berlin.

Ageless yogini

India conferred Padma Shri to 100-year-old American Yoga teacher Tao Porchon-Lynch. She is the world's oldest yoga teacher and holds a Guinness World Record. Lynch has been teaching in the US and France for over 40 years. She has certified around 1,500 yoga teachers and is the founder of Yoga Teachers Association (USA) and Westchester Institute of Yoga.

India also honoured John Chambers, former CEO, CISCO System, and South Africa's anti-Apartheid leader and current minister in President Cyril Ramaphosa's cabinet Pravin Gordhan. Both Chambers and Gordhan were conferred Padma Bhushan.