New Delhi, Jan 25 (IANS) The Indian government Monday awarded the Padma Vibhushan to six eminent personalities, including veteran actor Zohra Segal, Apollo Hospital Group chairman Prathap Chandra Reddy and Nobel laureate Venkatraman Ramakrishnan, for exceptional and distinguished service.

Three people have been given the Padma Vibhushan, the country's second highest civilian award, in the field of art -- Zohra Segal, former National School of Drama director Ebrahim Alkazi and mridangam artist Umayalapuram K. Sivaraman.

Former Reserve Bank of India (RBI) governor Dr Y.V. Reddy has been named for the Padma Vibhushan in the public affairs category.

Britain-based Ramakrishnan, who last year won the Nobel Prize for Chemistry, has got the award for science and engineering. And Prathap Chandra Reddy for trade and industry.