President Droupadi Murmu on Monday conferred the Padma awards at Rashtrapati Bhavan in New Delhi during the first civil investiture ceremony of 2026.
The opening phase of the ceremony covered 66 honours — two Padma Vibhushan, six Padma Bhushan and 58 Padma Shri awards — for personalities from arts, cinema, public service, music and other fields. The event marked the first round of the annual presentation, with the remaining Padma awards to be handed out later on a date yet to be announced.
Also Read | Abhijeet Dipke seeks restoration of CJP’s blocked X account in Delhi HC
India’s strength lies in such remarkable individuals whose work enriches our collective journey.
— Narendra Modi (@narendramodi) May 25, 2026
Here are some more glimpses from the Padma ceremony.@PadmaAwards pic.twitter.com/2pRVmYKxEI
When the red carpet met Rashtrapati Bhavan
Among the headline recipients, the late Dharmendra was conferred the Padma Vibhushan for distinguished service in the arts, with the honour received by his wife and MP Hema Malini.
Noted violinist N Rajam also received the Padma Vibhushan, while former Maharashtra governor Bhagat Singh Koshyari and banker Uday Kotak were conferred the Padma Bhushan.
The first phase also saw actor Prosenjit Chatterjee and theatre veteran Arvind Vaidya receive Padma Shri honours. Together, the list reflected the spread of the awards across cinema, music, public life and performance arts.
#WATCH | Silambam exponent K. Pajanivel of Puducherry conferred with the Padma Shri for his contribution in the field of traditional martial arts pic.twitter.com/Sviqc6BPZm
— ANI (@ANI) May 25, 2026
A stately nod to cinema, music and public life
The government announced 131 Padma awards for 2026 in all, including five Padma Vibhushan, 13 Padma Bhushan and 113 Padma Shri honours. Official reports said 19 of the awardees are women and 16 will receive the honour posthumously.
Instituted in 1954 and announced every year on Republic Day, the Padma awards are among the country’s highest civilian honours and recognise work of distinction in fields including literature, education, sports, medicine, social work, science and trade and industry.
The first round presented on Monday was only part of that wider list.
Also Read | India, South Korea begin fresh CEPA talks amid push for balanced trade deal
HARMANPREET KAUR POSING WITH THE PADMA SHRI AWARD. 😍🇮🇳 pic.twitter.com/KglsseheVA
— Mufaddal Vohra (@mufaddal_vohra) May 25, 2026
From silver screen legends to public stalwarts
The ceremony also prompted state-level reactions. In Lucknow, Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath congratulated the awardees from Uttar Pradesh, including N Rajam, the family of Dharmendra, Dr Kewal Krishna Thakral, Prof Shyam Sundar, Dr Ashok Kumar Singh and Prof (Dr) Rajendra Prasad.
In his post on X, he described Thakral’s work as “invaluable assets for humanity” and Shyam Sundar’s contribution as a “historic contribution to medical research and human service.” The chief minister also said the recipients had brought pride to the state through their work in medicine, agriculture and research.
