Playback singer S. Janaki, whose career spans several decades and multiple Indian languages, is reported to have declined the Padma Bhushan after being selected for the honour. Coverage describes that when the Government of India announced the Padma awards in 2013, Janaki was chosen for the Padma Bhushan. Rather than accepting the award, she rejected it publicly. In the statement attributed to her, Janaki says that if the government intended to recognise her work, she believes she should have received the Bharat Ratna, which she describes as the highest civilian award. She also states that she is not interested in other awards such as the Padma awards. The reporting frames the decision as a personal response to the level of recognition rather than as a broader dispute, and it notes her stature in Indian cinema as a celebrated playback singer whose work has included tens of thousands of songs. The available accounts focus on her reaction at the time of the Padma announcement and her explanation for declining the honour.