Who Are the Latest Recipients of the Prestigious Padma Awards? Discover the Honorees!

The Padma Awards ceremony held at Rashtrapati Bhavan recognized outstanding contributions in various fields. President Droupadi Murmu honored late actor Dharmendra and musician N Rajam with the Padma Vibhushan. Other notable recipients included Bhagat Singh Koshyari and Harmanpreet Kaur. The event celebrated excellence in arts, sports, and public service, with a total of 131 awards announced for 2026. Join us as we explore the remarkable achievements of these honorees.

By Narendra Chaudhary May 25, 2026, 20:52 IST

Celebrating Excellence: Padma Awards Ceremony Highlights

New Delhi: On Monday, President Droupadi Murmu awarded the Padma Vibhushan to the late Hindi film star Dharmendra and renowned classical musician N Rajam during a Civil Investiture Ceremony at Rashtrapati Bhavan.

The award for Dharmendra, recognized for his outstanding contributions to the arts, was accepted by his wife, Hema Malini, who is also a Member of Parliament.

N Rajam received accolades for her groundbreaking work in Indian classical music, particularly for innovating the 'Gayaki Ang' style, which emulates vocal music on the violin.

Additionally, the Padma Bhushan was awarded to several distinguished individuals, including Bhagat Singh Koshyari, the former chief minister of Uttarakhand; Shatavadhani R Ganesh, a noted polymath who revitalized the classical Indian art of 'Avadhana'; Uday Suresh Kumar Kotak, founder of Kotak Mahindra Bank; and gastroenterologist Kallipatti Ramasamy Palaniswamy.

Posthumous honors were given to advertising legend Piyush Pandey and former parliamentarian Vijay Kumar Malhotra, with their awards received by their respective family members.

The Padma Shri was awarded to notable figures such as Harmanpreet Kaur Bhullar, captain of the Indian women's cricket team; actor Prosenjit Chatterjee; para athlete Praveen Kumar; and former CRPF director general K Vijay Kumar.

The ceremony, held in the Gantantra Mandap of Rashtrapati Bhavan, commenced with an instrumental version of the national song 'Vande Mataram', followed by the national anthem 'Jana Gana Mana'. Esteemed attendees included Vice President C P Radhakrishnan, Prime Minister Narendra Modi, and Union Home Minister Amit Shah.

For the year 2026, the President has sanctioned a total of 131 Padma Awards, comprising five Padma Vibhushan, 13 Padma Bhushan, and 113 Padma Shri, which will be presented across two separate ceremonies.

These prestigious civilian awards are announced annually on Republic Day and recognize excellence in various domains, including arts, social service, public affairs, science and engineering, trade and industry, medicine, literature and education, sports, and civil service.