Padma Awards Ceremony Honors Renowned Personalities in Arts and Sports

Recognition of Distinguished Contributors

On Monday, President Droupadi Murmu hosted a civil decoration ceremony at the Rashtrapati Bhavan, where Bollywood actor Dharmendra and classical musician and violinist N. Rajam were posthumously awarded the Padma Vibhushan. This prestigious honor was accepted by Dharmendra's wife, MP Hema Malini, in recognition of his exceptional contributions to the arts. Rajam received the award for her significant impact on Indian classical music, particularly for revitalizing the violin presentation through the 'Gayaki Ang' style.

Additional Honors Bestowed

Rajam learned music under the tutelage of Pandit Omkarnath Thakur. President Murmu also honored former Uttarakhand Chief Minister Bhagat Singh Koshyari; Shatavadhani R. Ganesh, who is working to revive traditional Indian art forms; Uday Kotak, founder of Kotak Mahindra Bank; and gastroenterologist Kallipatti Ramasamy Palaniswami with the Padma Bhushan. The President also posthumously awarded advertising guru Piyush Pandey and former MP Vijay Kumar Malhotra, with their family members receiving the honors.

Celebrating Achievements in Sports and Arts

The ceremony also recognized Indian women's cricket team captain Harmanpreet Kaur Bhullar, actor Prosenjit Chatterjee, para-athlete Praveen Kumar, and former Director General of the Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF) K. Vijay Kumar with the Padma Shri. The event commenced with the singing of the national song 'Vande Mataram,' followed by the national anthem 'Jana Gana Mana,' and was attended by several dignitaries, including Vice President C.P. Radhakrishnan, Prime Minister Narendra Modi, and Home Minister Amit Shah.

Upcoming Padma Awards

The President has approved the awarding of 131 Padma awards for the year 2026, which includes five Padma Vibhushan, 13 Padma Bhushan, and 113 Padma Shri awards. These honors will be presented in two separate ceremonies. The announcement of the Padma awards is traditionally made on Republic Day each year, recognizing outstanding contributions across various fields such as arts, social work, public affairs, science and engineering, business and industry, medicine, literature and education, sports, and civil service.