President Droupadi Murmu on Monday presided over the Civil Investiture Ceremony at Rashtrapati Bhavan, where she conferred the Padma Awards on several distinguished individuals for their exceptional contributions across diverse fields such as art, music, sports, science, literature, public affairs, and industry. The event marked one of the most significant national honours recognizing excellence and service to the nation.
The ceremony included the presentation of Padma Vibhushan, Padma Bhushan, and Padma Shri awards. Veteran Bollywood actor Dharmendra was honoured posthumously with the Padma Vibhushan for his extraordinary contribution to Indian cinema. The award was received on his behalf by his wife and Member of Parliament Hema Malini. His recognition highlighted a career spanning over six decades and more than 300 films, leaving a lasting impact on Indian film history.
Renowned classical violinist N. Rajam was also conferred the Padma Vibhushan for her pioneering contribution to Indian classical music. She is widely respected for developing the “Gayaki Ang” style, which brings vocal expression into violin performance, significantly enriching Indian classical traditions.
In the Padma Bhushan category, several prominent personalities were honoured, including former Uttarakhand Chief Minister Bhagat Singh Koshyari, polymath Shatavadhani R. Ganesh, Kotak Mahindra Bank founder Uday Suresh Kumar Kotak, and gastroenterologist Kallipatti Ramasamy Palaniswamy. The awards also included posthumous recognitions for advertising veteran Piyush Pandey and former parliamentarian Vijay Kumar Malhotra, with their families receiving the honours.
The Padma Shri awards were presented to notable achievers such as Indian women’s cricket team captain Harmanpreet Kaur, actor Prosenjit Chatterjee, para-athlete Praveen Kumar, and former CRPF Director General K. Vijay Kumar, among others.
The ceremony, held at the Gantantra Mandap inside Rashtrapati Bhavan, began with a rendition of “Vande Mataram,” followed by the national anthem “Jana Gana Mana.” It was attended by Vice President C.P. Radhakrishnan, Prime Minister Narendra Modi, Union Home Minister Amit Shah, and other senior dignitaries.
For 2026, the Government has approved a total of 131 Padma Awards, to be distributed across two Civil Investiture Ceremonies. The honours are announced annually on Republic Day and recognise distinguished and exceptional achievements across multiple disciplines, including arts, science, education, sports, medicine, literature, and public service.
