Surreal and unbelievable” is how the ‘queen of Indian pop’, singer Usha Uthup describes receiving the Padma Bhushan on Monday. “I couldn’t believe this was happening. The whole ceremony — starting from the rehearsal in the morning when we were told how to walk and go to her and face the camera — was surreal for me,” shares the 76-year-old.

The singer recalls the happy feeling washing over her during the ceremony, too: “You just do your work like a zombie and don’t think at that time because you are so overwhelmed. The excitement and nervousness were so great.”

Uthup got presented the country’s third-highest civilian honour, by President Droupadi Murmu, in the presence of Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Home Minister Amit Shah at Rashtrapati Bhavan, in New Delhi.

Expressing how proud she was to receive the honour at the President’s residence, Uthup says: “The grandeur of Rashtrapati Bhavan, and to know that the President and the PM were there, while I received the award in the presence of my family and friends, was just beautiful.”

The singer recalls this particular exchange with President Murmu, that left her elated. “At the photo op later, she said that she listens to Hari Om Hari, and that as a youngster, she used to dance to my songs!” says the Darling singer, adding, “Even the Home Minister said that he had heard me very closely in Kashmir. This was when we had done a nice show there once.”