A high-level committee on Wednesday met to shortlist the names for Padma awards amid indications that yesteryear superstar late Rajesh Khanna may be conferred the country’s second highest civilian award Padma Vibhushan.

Apart from Mr Khanna, who died on July 18, renowned filmmaker of Sholay fame Ramesh Sippy is likely to be given Padma Shri on the eve of Republic Day next month, official sources said.

The committee, which includes Cabinet Secretary Ajit Seth, Principal Secretary to Prime Minister Pulok Chatterjee, Union Home Secretary R K Singh, actor Ratna Pathak Shah, scientist Anil Kakodkar, shortlisted the names of next year’s Padma awardees at the meeting.

The names of awardees will be declared on January 25, 2013 after the approval of Prime Minister Manmohan Singh.

Names of Rajesh Khanna and Ramesh Sippy were recommended by the Ministry of Information and Broadcasting, sources said. Eminent singer and composer Bhupen Hazarika was posthumously awarded Padma Vibhushan this year.

Mr Khanna, who was also Congress MP from New Delhi constituency from 1992 to 1996, was never given the Padma award in his lifetime, whereas most of his contemporaries, including Dharmendra, Dev Anand, Shashi Kapoor, Amitabh Bachchan, Dilip Kumar, Hema Malini and Waheeda Rehman, had got one or the other category of Padma awards over the years.

Similarly, producer-director Ramesh Sippy (65), too, would be a late entrant of the Padma hall of fame, if the government finally selects him for this award. Many producers and directors of his generation have been conferred with the Padma awards through the years.

Rajesh Khanna‘s daughter said that Kaka’s Bungalow will be converted into a museum. Rajesh Ji being the First Superstar Of Bollywood industry will always be remembered.

“Yes, there are plans to convert Aashirwad into a museum, but nothing has been finalised yet. The family members will take the decision after Rajesh Khanna’s ‘chautha’. It’s his daughters Twinkle and Rinke’s wish to do so,” a source close to Rajesh Khanna’s family told IANS on condition of anonymity.

“It will be called Rajesh Khanna Museum and his precious things will be kept in the museum,” added the source.

Kaka is no more with us. Still he will always be remembered in Hindi Film Industry.

Here is the list of movies in which he has been seen as the lead, and the movies were superhit :

1. 1969 “Aradhana”

2. 1969 “Do Raaste”

3. 1970 “Safar”

4. 1970 “Kati Patang”

5. 1970 “Aan Milo Sajna”

6. 1971 “Mehboob Ki Mehndi”

7. 1971 “Dushman”

8. 1971 “Anand”

9. 1972 “Amar Prem”

10. 1973 “Daag: A Poem of Love”

Superstar Rajesh Khanna passed away on Wednesday afternoon at his residence Aashirwad in Mumbai. He was 70. He had been battling prolonged illness for a long time and finally had to bow down to it.

The actor’s condition had been deteriorating since April when he stopped eating and had complained of weakness. He was admitted to Lilavati Hospital twice in the past month.

He breathed his last in the presence of his wife Dimple Kapadia, daughters Rinkie and Twinkle, son-in-law Akshay Kumar, grand children and close relatives.

Khanna was hailed as India’s first superstar after 15 consecutive solo superhits between 1969 and 1972 including Aradhana, Haathi Mere Saathi, Anand and Amar Prem.