In a grand ceremony celebrating exceptional national service, President Droupadi Murmu presented the prestigious Padma Vibhushan, Padma Bhushan, and Padma Shri awards for the year 2026. The Civil Investiture Ceremony-I took place on Monday, May 25, 2026, at the historic Rashtrapati Bhavan in New Delhi.
The high-profile event was attended by several of the nation’s top dignitaries, including Vice-President C. P. Radhakrishnan, Prime Minister Narendra Modi, and Union Home Minister Amit Shah.
Every year on the eve of Republic Day, the government announces these civilian honours. For 2026, the President approved a total of 131 Padma awards, which break down into the following categories:
Padma Vibhushan: 5
Padma Bhushan: 13
Padma Shri: 113
During this initial first-round ceremony on Monday, the President formally conferred two Padma Vibhushan, six Padma Bhushan, and 58 Padma Shri awards. The remaining distinguished awardees will be celebrated during a second round of the investiture ceremony scheduled for a later date.
Padma Vibhushan Recipients (Highest Class)
The Padma Vibhushan, India’s second-highest civilian award, was presented to two legendary figures for their extraordinary, pioneering contributions to their fields:
Dharmendra (Posthumous)
The legendary Bollywood actor was honored posthumously for his multi-decade, monumental impact on Indian cinema. The award was gracefully accepted on his behalf by his wife, veteran actress and Member of Parliament (MP), Hema Malini.
N. Rajam
The world-renowned violin virtuoso received the honour for her exceptional mastery of classical music. Ms. Rajam famously pioneered a revolutionary approach to string instruments by introducing the “Gayaki Ang”—a brilliant technique that allows the violin to seamlessly emulate the nuances of the human vocal chords, earning her the global moniker of the “Singing Violin”.
Padma Bhushan Recipients
Six eminent personalities were recognized with the Padma Bhushan for distinguished service of a high order across public life, arts, corporate banking, and medicine:
Bhagat Singh Koshyari: Veteran politician and former Chief Minister of Uttarakhand.
Shatavadhani R. Ganesh: Acclaimed scholar celebrated for single-handedly reviving the intricate classical art form of “Avadhana”.
Uday Suresh Kumar Kotak: Billionaire financier and the iconic founder of Kotak Mahindra Bank.
Kallipatti Ramasamy Palaniswamy: Eminent gastroenterologist recognized for his lifelong contributions to medical sciences.
Vijay Kumar Malhotra (Posthumous): Respected politician and former Member of Parliament.
Piyush Pandey (Posthumous): The legendary “ad guru” who redefined the landscape of Indian advertising and creative communications.
Padma Shri Recipients
The Padma Shri awards recognized brilliant grassroots innovators, sports icons, artists, and social workers who have quietly transformed Indian society.
The diverse list of notable recipients from Monday’s ceremony includes:
Cinema, Art, and Literature
Prosenjit Chatterjee: One of the most influential and enduring leading figures of Indian cinema.
Tripti Mukherjee: Renowned “Kantha” embroidery artist preserving traditional textile crafts.
Mir Haji Kasam: Celebrated folk musician keeping regional audio traditions alive.
N. Swaminathan: Tamil devotional music artist recognized for deep cultural contributions.
Taga Ram Bheel: Dedicated traditional folk music artist.
Vempaty Kutumba Shastry: Eminent Sanskrit scholar honored for educational enrichment.
Sports and Physical Arts
Harmanpreet Kaur Bhullar: Inspirational captain and trailblazer of Indian women’s cricket.
Praveen Kumar: Celebrated para-athlete honored for international sporting achievements.
Baldev Singh: Veteran hockey coach felicitated for more than four decades of distinguished service to Indian hockey.
K. Pajanivel: Silambam master recognized for passionately protecting and promoting the ancient martial art originating from Tamil Nadu.
Public Service, Environment, and Healthcare
K. Vijay Kumar: Former Director-General of the Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF), honored for exceptional public safety administration.
Dr. Ramchandra Godbole & Suneeta Godbole: A dedicated husband-wife medical duo who have spent decades providing critical healthcare and social infrastructure to remote tribal communities.
Janardan Bapurao Bothe: Respected social worker recognized for impactful grassroots community development.
Devaki Amma G. & Hally War: Passionate environmentalists honored for ecological preservation and forestry work.
Ankegowda M.: Renowned bibliophile celebrated for his unique archival efforts.
Gambir Singh Yonzone: Distinguished botanist celebrated for specialized plant research.