President Droupadi Murmu presented the 2026 Padma Awards to 65 individuals during a civil investiture ceremony on Tuesday [1], [2], [3].
The awards represent India's highest civilian honors, recognizing exceptional contributions across diverse fields including sports, cinema, music, literature, and public service [1].
The ceremony took place at Rashtrapati Bhavan in New Delhi [1], [2], [3]. A total of 65 people were honored [1]. This group included 56 Padma Shri awards [1], seven Padma Bhushan awards [1], and two Padma Vibhushan awards [1].
Among the notable recipients were cricketer Rohit Sharma, actor Mammootty, tennis player Vijay Amritraj, and singer Alka Yagnik [1], [2], [3]. Other honorees included KT Thomas and P Narayanan, who were identified as Padma Vibhushan recipients in some reports [3].
Some reports indicated that Satish Shah and R Madhavan were among the honored personalities [1]. However, other sources did not list these individuals among the recipients [2], [3].
The event was marked by several high-profile attendees. While some reports noted that Alka Yagnik touched the feet of Prime Minister Narendra Modi, other accounts focused exclusively on President Murmu as the presenter of the awards [1], [2], [3].
“President Droupadi Murmu presented the 2026 Padma Awards to 65 individuals”
The 2026 Padma Awards continue the tradition of diversifying civilian recognition by balancing high-profile celebrities and athletes with public servants. The distribution of 56 Padma Shri awards against a small number of Padma Vibhushans underscores the tiered nature of the honors, prioritizing broad recognition of service over a few elite distinctions.
