Recently the list of Padma Shri awardees for 2020 was announced and singer and musician Adnan Sami was one of the recipients. Adnan Sami, who delivered hits like Lift Kara De, Kabhi Toh Nazar Milao, and others, has been a part of the music industry for over three decades now.

However, his inclusion in the 2020 Padma Shri recipients has not been received positively by a section of the society.
Certain people, including members of the opposition, are angered by the fact that Sami was awarded the Padma Shri, even though his father Arshad Sami Khan, was a Pakistani Air force veteran-turned-bureaucrat who fought in the 1965 war against India.
In Modi’s India, Adnan Sami – son of a Pakistani who shot down Indian aircrafts during the war in 1971 gets Padma award.
— Srujana Deva (@SrujanaDeva) January 26, 2020
In Modi’s India, a Kargil war veteran who had won President’s medal has to prove his citizenship in Assam.
Let it sink in.#CAA_NRC_NPR #PadmaAwards
BJP wants Adnan Sami’s father to be FORGIVEN because his mother is an Indian from Kashmir 🤔
— Gaurav Pandhi (@GauravPandhi) January 27, 2020
Next they would want Dawood To be forgiven because his both parents were Indians and Davinder Singh himself is a Kashmiri so forgive him too.
But those Qning BJP are anti-national!
– Adnan Sami took Indian citizenship and is now a ‘deshbhakt’
— Chirpy Says (@IndianPrism) January 26, 2020
– Howdy Modi Indo-Americans who ditched India for $$ are ‘patriots’
– Sanghis who didn’t join freedom movt are ‘nationalists’
BUT, Indian Muslims who lived here for 500 years are traitors who should ‘Go to Pakistan’
Kargil war veteran and retired army officer Mohammad Sanaullah who fought for India declared “ foreigner” after #NRC and #adnansami whose family fought against India honored with Padma Shri – This is the magic of #NRC & Govt Chamchagiri !!
— Jaiveer Shergill (@JaiveerShergill) January 26, 2020
Pakistan Army officer's son Adnan Sami was granted Indian Citizenship & Padma Shri. And Indian Army officer Sanaullah who has fought in Kargil war was sent to detention centre & declared 'foreigner'.
— Salman Nizami (@SalmanNizami_) January 27, 2020
Waah Modi Ji Waah!
Gurmehar Kaur, born in India, Father served in Indian Army, laid down his life fighting against Pakistan
— Gaurav Pandhi (@GauravPandhi) January 27, 2020
Adnan Sami, born in UK, father served in Pakistan Air Force, fought against India, shot down IAF Jets
But Gurmehar is anti-national and Adnan Sami is Padma Shri? Wah!
However, people have also commented that the question is not about his father’s role in the Pakistan Air Force, but about Sami’s individual contribution. And in this case, on the basis of merit, people believe that he did not deserve the Padma Shri award.
It's not an issue of Adnan Sami Khan's earlier nationality or that his grandparents were senior Afghan officials, or that his mother was from J&K. He is, undoubtedly, a musical genius and is committed to India but what are his credentials to be awarded a Padma Shri?
— Anand Arni (@anand_arni) January 28, 2020
Leave aside politics. Has no one yet protested the Padmashri to #adnansami on purely musical grounds? Unless we’re ranking singers in reverse order? Avarohana? https://t.co/r2LgtDiO9J
— Sunil Menon (@kazhugan) January 28, 2020
If you judge Adnan Sami for his father's actions against India, he doesn't deserve Padma Shri.
— Rofl Gandhi 2.0 (@RoflGandhi_) January 27, 2020
But if you judge him purely for his own contribution to India, he definitely doesn't deserve it.
Mohammad Sharif aka Chacha Sharif gets Padma Shree for performing the last rites of over 25,000 unclaimed dead bodies.
— Zainab Sikander (@zainabsikander) January 25, 2020
Adnan Sami gets Padma Shree for …?
Ditching Pakistan and becoming Indian?
What Adnan Sami has done for India? Seriously!!
— Official Elia (@Parlo_Tweets) January 25, 2020
Bhakt: “Don’t judge Adnan Sami by his father’s deeds. He got the #Padmashree for his contribution to India.”
— PuNsTeR™ (@Pun_Starr) January 27, 2020
Me: “What is his contribution?”
Bhakt: [ after thinking for long ]
“Modiji ne diya hai toh kuchh soch ke hi diya hoga na?”
Adnan Sami has been conferred a Padma Shree for his immense contribution in applying for the Indian Citizenship and getting one. He chose India over Pakistan. That’s huge.
— RJ Sayema (@MirchiSayema) January 26, 2020
Gurmehar Kaur, born in India, Father served in Indian Army, laid down his life fighting against Pakistan
— Gaurav Pandhi (@GauravPandhi) January 27, 2020
Adnan Sami, born in UK, father served in Pakistan Air Force, fought against India, shot down IAF Jets
But Gurmehar is anti-national and Adnan Sami is Padma Shri? Wah!
Pakistan Army officer's son Adnan Sami was granted Indian Citizenship & Padma Shri. And Indian Army officer Sanaullah who has fought in Kargil war was sent to detention centre & declared 'foreigner'.
— Salman Nizami (@SalmanNizami_) January 27, 2020
Waah Modi Ji Waah!
Kargil war veteran and retired army officer Mohammad Sanaullah who fought for India declared “ foreigner” after #NRC and #adnansami whose family fought against India honored with Padma Shri – This is the magic of #NRC & Govt Chamchagiri !!
— Jaiveer Shergill (@JaiveerShergill) January 26, 2020
Adnan Sami – ex-Pakistani, decent singer, his dad killed Indian soldiers in 1965 war. But he took Indian citizenship, got Padma and is a ‘nationalist’
— Chirpy Says (@IndianPrism) January 26, 2020
Naseeruddin Shah – India born, stellar actor, brother decorated army officer. Criticised Modi govt and is an ‘anti-national’
BJP wants Adnan Sami’s father to be FORGIVEN because his mother is an Indian from Kashmir 🤔
— Gaurav Pandhi (@GauravPandhi) January 27, 2020
Next they would want Dawood To be forgiven because his both parents were Indians and Davinder Singh himself is a Kashmiri so forgive him too.
But those Qning BJP are anti-national!
In Modi’s India, Adnan Sami – son of a Pakistani who shot down Indian aircrafts during the war in 1971 gets Padma award.
— Srujana Deva (@SrujanaDeva) January 26, 2020
In Modi’s India, a Kargil war veteran who had won President’s medal has to prove his citizenship in Assam.
Let it sink in.#CAA_NRC_NPR #PadmaAwards
Adnan Sami was initially residing in India on a visitor visa (since 2001). However, he has been an Indian citizen since 2016.