Dharmendra, Harmanpreet Kaur, Satyanarayan Nuwal and others honoured for their contributions.
May 25, 2026: President Droupadi Murmu on Monday presented the Padma Awards 2026 at Rashtrapati Bhavan in the presence of Prime Minister Narendra Modi, Home Minister Amit Shah and several other dignitaries. Personalities from sports, business, traditional arts and advertising were honoured for their outstanding contributions to the nation during the prestigious ceremony in New Delhi.
Veteran actor Dharmendra was conferred the Padma award posthumously, with actor and BJP MP Hema Malini receiving the honour on his behalf. India women’s cricket captain Harmanpreet Kaur received the Padma Shri for her achievements in cricket, while Solar Group Chairman Satyanarayan Nuwal was honoured for his contribution to India’s defence manufacturing sector. Silambam expert K Pajanivel from Puducherry also received the Padma Shri for promoting traditional martial arts.
The ceremony also witnessed emotional moments during the award presentations. Advertising legend Piyush Pandey was posthumously awarded the Padma Bhushan, which was accepted by his wife Neeta Joshi. Another notable moment came when K Pajanivel bowed and touched Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s feet after receiving the honour, prompting the Prime Minister to immediately stand up and acknowledge the gesture.