Mumbai: Actor Sonu Sood has received the Punjab Ratan award for his contribution to the welfare of people of Punjab, especially his hometown, Moga. Governor of Punjab, V P Singh Badnore, honoured the actor at an event at Fazilka in Punjab. During the ceremony, the 44-year-old actor also paid homage to the soldiers who fought the 1971 Indo-Pak war. 

"I feel really honoured to get Punjab Ratan award from the Governor of Punjab and that too at a venue which was full of the families of the martyrs in the 1971 war and several Majors, Colonels and soldiers who fought that war were also present. 

"It was a great honour. I can relate to it more because I just finished for one schedule of J P Dutta's 'Paltan' where I'm playing a Major and was in the uniform for two months. Meeting those families and people, who sacrificed their lives for their nation, was a huge honour. I feel blessed. It was all possible because of the blessings of my parents," Sonu said in a statement.