President Droupadi Murmu Confers Padma Awards 2026 at Rashtrapati Bhavan in Grand Civil Investiture Ceremony

New Delhi, May 2026:The President of India Droupadi Murmu on Monday conferred the Padma Awards 2026 at the Civil Investiture Ceremony-I held at Rashtrapati Bhavan, recognising distinguished personalities across fields such as art, literature, public service, medicine, sports, and social work.

The prestigious ceremony was attended by Vice President of India C.P. Radhakrishnan, Prime Minister Narendra Modi, Union Home Minister Amit Shah, along with several other Union Ministers and dignitaries.

The awards presented included Padma Vibhushan, Padma Bhushan, and Padma Shri for the year 2026. For this year, the President has approved a total of 131 Padma Awards, comprising 5 Padma Vibhushan, 13 Padma Bhushan, and 113 Padma Shri awards. The honours will be presented in two Civil Investiture ceremonies.

Padma Vibhushan Awards

Among the highest civilian honours, the Padma Vibhushan was conferred posthumously on legendary Bollywood actor Dharmendra for his exceptional contribution to Indian cinema. The award was received by his wife and Member of Parliament Hema Malini on his behalf.

Renowned classical musician and violinist N. Rajam was also conferred the Padma Vibhushan for her pioneering contributions to Indian classical music. She is widely credited with revolutionising violin performance through the ‘Gayaki Ang’ style, which replicates vocal music on the violin.

Padma Bhushan Honours

The Padma Bhushan was conferred on several eminent personalities, including former Maharashtra Governor Bhagat Singh Koshyari and banker Uday Kotak. Other awardees included Shatavadhani R. Ganesh, recognised for reviving the classical Indian art form ‘Avadhana’, and noted gastroenterologist K. R. Palaniswamy.

Posthumous Padma Bhushan awards were also presented to renowned advertising professional Piyush Pandey and former parliamentarian Vijay Kumar Malhotra. Their awards were received by their family members.

Padma Shri Awardees

The Padma Shri honours were presented to several distinguished individuals. Indian women’s cricket team captain Harmanpreet Kaur was conferred the award for her outstanding contribution to sports.

Acclaimed actor Prosenjit Chatterjee received the Padma Shri for his significant contribution to Indian cinema, particularly Bengali films. He attended the ceremony in a traditional golden kurta ensemble and received the award amid loud applause.

Para-athlete Praveen Kumar and former CRPF Director General K. Vijay Kumar were also honoured with the Padma Shri for their contributions in sports and public service respectively.

Ceremony Highlights

The ceremony, held at the Ganatantra Mandap of Rashtrapati Bhavan, began with a rendition of “Vande Mataram,” followed by the national anthem “Jana Gana Mana.” The event witnessed the presence of top constitutional authorities and Union Ministers, marking one of the most prestigious national award ceremonies of the year.

The Padma Awards continue to recognise exceptional contributions by individuals across diverse fields, celebrating excellence, dedication, and service to the nation. 

Please click here to see the photographs of the ceremony