Why does the Indian state wake up so late when it comes to recognising and decorating the good and the great of the land? The latest example is Dilip Kumar. He is 93 and, judging from the TV coverage, was unaware of what was going on when the Union home minister adorned him with the nation’s second highest civilian honour, the Padma Vibhushan. The very fact that the function was held in the actor’s Pali Hill bungalow in Mumbai instead of Rashtrapati Bhavan in New Delhi is proof. The award is given “in recognition of distinguished service,” but the thespian’s last film was in 1998. It took the government two decades to record its admiration of his awesome talents, and that too at a time when he could hardly hear the applause. Earlier this year, Shashi Kapoor was given the Dadasaheb Phalke award which he received in a wheelchair, and also in Mumbai. He was 77 and his last film was a long time ago. This is also the year when former PM A.B. Vajpayee was awarded the Bharat Ratna, like Dilip Kumar, in his own house and in no state to savour the high honour or the solemnity of the occasion.