Padma Bhushan Awarded to Former Bihar Deputy CM Sushil Kumar Modi

Padma Bhushan Awarded to Former Deputy CM of Bihar: Bihar BJP leader and Former CM Sushil Kumar Modi was posthumously awarded with the prestigious Padma Bhushan Award on 28th April 2025 in Rashtrapati Bhawan, New Delhi by Honourable President Draupadi Murmu. This honour was received by his wife, Jessie Sushil Modi. The awards event took place in Rashtrapati Bhavan's Durbar Hall, attended by Vice President Jagdeep Dhankhar, Prime Minister Narendra Modi, Union Home Minister Amit Shah, and other dignitaries. 

Ten people received the Padma Bhushan, including Udhas (posthumously), Sushil Modi (posthumously), Balakrishna, Kapur, former Indian hockey player P.R. Sreejesh, Tamil actor S. Ajith Kumar, Zydus Lifesciences chairperson Pankaj Patel, and Vinod Dham, an Indian American engineer known as the "Father of the Pentium."

Tributes from Political Leaders

When the news came out that Sushil Kumar Modi was given the Padma Bhushan, leaders from many political parties praised the decision. Bihar's Chief Minister Nitish Kumar congratulated him and said that Modi played an important role in improving the state. Deputy Chief Minister Samrat Choudhary also appreciated the award and said it is a proud moment for Bihar.

Even opposition party leaders, like those from the Rashtriya Janata Dal (RJD), showed respect. They said that even though they had political disagreements, they always appreciated Modi’s honest work for the people.

Who Was Sushil Kumar Modi?

Sushil Kumar Modi was a famous leader of the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) in politics of Bihar. Born on January 5, 1952, he served as the Deputy Chief Minister of Bihar in two separate terms. The first term was from 2005 to 2013 and the second  from 2017 to 2020. During his tenure, he also held the position of Finance Minister of Bihar, where he was the base in implementing many economic reforms and infrastructural developments across the state. 

Legacy of Sushil Kumar Modi

Sushil Kumar Modi will always be remembered for his strong commitment to serving the people. He played an important role in improving Bihar’s development. He worked hard to bring changes in the state’s finance system, build better roads and facilities, and make the government work better. The Padma Bhushan award is a perfect way to honor all the good work he did for Bihar and its people.

Key Contributions of Sushil Kumar Modi  

• Fiscal Management and State Development: As Bihar's longest-serving Deputy Chief Minister and Finance Minister, he was the main person in developing the state into a revenue-generating machine. He was known for good budgetary management and helping the state's development through better governance. 

• Introduction of GST: He played a key role in implementing India's Goods and Services Tax (GST). As Chairman of the Empowered Committee of State Finance Ministers (2011-2013), he was instrumental in bringing states together to support the implementation of GST, a historic rebuild to India's tax structure.

• Gender Budget and Women’s Welfare: While serving as Bihar's Finance Minister, Modi introduced the concept of a gender budget, which focused on the welfare and development of women and ensured that their concerns were addressed in the state's financial planning.

• Political Career and Leadership: He has nearly three decades of political experience, having served in both Houses of Parliament and the Bihar Legislative Assembly. He also held leadership positions, including Chairman of the Parliamentary Committee on Personnel, Public Grievances, Law, and Justice.

• Advocacy for Organ Donation: He was a passionate supporter of organ donation and launched the 'Dadhichi Deh Daan Samiti' campaign in Bihar, which raised awareness and encouraged people to donate their organs.