President Droupadi Murmu presented the Padma Awards 2026 at Rashtrapati Bhavan on 25 May, honouring 66 distinguished personalities across fields including art, cinema, literature, education, sports, and public service. The ceremony saw emotional moments as Hema Malini accepted the Padma Vibhushan for her late husband, legendary actor Dharmendra.
📌 Key Highlights of Padma Awards 2026 Ceremony
- Date & Venue: 25 May 2026, Ganatantra Mandap, Rashtrapati Bhavan, New Delhi.
- Total Awards Approved: 131 (5 Padma Vibhushan, 13 Padma Bhushan, 113 Padma Shri).
- Phase 1 Ceremony: 66 awards conferred (2 Padma Vibhushan, 6 Padma Bhushan, 58 Padma Shri). Remaining awards will be presented later.
- Dignitaries Present: Prime Minister Narendra Modi, Vice President CP Radhakrishnan, Union Home Minister Amit Shah.
🏅 Major Awardees
Padma Vibhushan (Exceptional Service)
- Dharmendra (Posthumous): Bollywood legend, honoured for his decades-long contribution to Indian cinema. Award received by wife Hema Malini.
- Dr. N. Rajam: Renowned violinist, celebrated for her outstanding contribution to Indian classical music.
Padma Bhushan (Distinguished Service of High Order)
- Piyush Pandey (Posthumous): Iconic advertising professional, honoured for revolutionizing Indian advertising.
- Mammootty: Legendary Malayalam actor, recognised for his landmark performances in Indian cinema.
- Alka Yagnik: Celebrated playback singer, honoured for her immense contribution to Indian music.
- Bhagat Singh Koshyari: Former Governor of Maharashtra.
- Uday Kotak: Prominent banker and business leader.
Padma Shri (Distinguished Service in Any Field)
- Harmanpreet Kaur: Captain of the Indian women’s cricket team.
- Mamidala Jagadesh Kumar: Former UGC Chairman, recognised in Literature & Education.
- Prosenjit Chatterjee: Veteran Bengali actor, honoured for his contribution to cinema.
- R. Madhavan: Actor and filmmaker, recognised for his work in Indian cinema.
- Satish Shah (Posthumous): Actor, honoured for his lifetime contribution to theatre and cinema.
- Paralympic Gold Medalist Praveen Kumar: Recognised for achievements in sports.
