Padma Awards: Prez Murmu to honour Shibu Soren, Vijay Amritraj, Alka Yagnik, 62 others on June 23
New Delhi, June 20
President Droupadi Murmu will present Padma Awards for 2026 at the Civil Investiture Ceremony-II at Rashtrapati Bhawan in New Delhi on June 23, with former Union Minister Shibu Soren, Tennis star Vijay Amritraj, actor Mammootty and singer Alka Yagnik figuring among the 65 awardees, an official said on Saturday.
Vice-President C.P. Radhakrishnan, Prime Minister Narendra Modi, Union Home Minister and Cooperation Minister Amit Shah, Union Ministers and other dignitaries will also attend the ceremony that will begin at 5 p.m.
In the Second Civil Investiture Ceremony, the President will confer 65 Padma Awards, including two Padma Vibhushan, seven Padma Bhushan and 56 Padma Shri.
President Murmu had conferred 65 Padma Awards, including two Padma Vibhushan, six Padma Bhushan and 57 Padma Shri in the First Civil Investiture Ceremony held on May 25.
Padma Awards -- one of the highest civilian awards of the country -- are conferred in three categories, namely, Padma Vibhushan, Padma Bhushan and Padma Shri.
The Awards are given in various disciplines/fields of activities, including art, social work, public affairs, science and engineering, trade and industry, medicine, literature and education, sports and civil service.
'Padma Vibhushan' is awarded for exceptional and distinguished service; 'Padma Bhushan' for distinguished service of high order and 'Padma Shri' for distinguished service in any field.
The awards are announced on the occasion of Republic Day every year.
While former Union Minister and Jharkhand Mukti Morcha (JMM) founder Shibu Soren has been selected for a posthumous Padma Bhushan, P. Narayanan and Justice (retd.) K.T. Thomas will be awarded Padma Vibhushan for Literature and Education and Public Affairs, respectively.
Other awardees include the Padma Bhushan awardees include: Vijay Amritraj, S.K.M. Maeilanandhan, Mammootty, Vellappally Natesan, Dattatreyudu Nori and Alka Yagnik.
The list of awardees includes two Americans, a Russian and a Georgian citizen.
Doctor Dattatreyudu Nori of the US will be awarded Padma Bhushan in field of Medicine. Professor Prateek Sharma will be awarded Padma Shri for Medicine.
Russia's Liudmila Khokhlova has been picked for Padma Shri in Literature and Education.
Vladimer Mestvirishvili of Georgia will be posthumously awarded the Padma Shri for Sports.
Professor Mahendra Nath Roy from West Bengal has been picked for a Padma Shri in the field of Science and Engineering, a statement said.
— IANS
Reader Comments
Great to see Shibu Soren getting a posthumous Padma Bhushan. He dedicated his life to Jharkhand's tribal rights and development. Hope this inspires younger leaders to serve marginalized communities with the same passion. Also happy to see doctors like Dattatreyudu Nori being recognized for their global contributions. 👏
It's a mixed bag as always. Some names in Padma Shri list I haven't heard of, which makes me wonder about the selection process. But Vijay Amritraj for tennis and Alka Yagnik for music are well-deserved choices. The inclusion of foreigners shows India is open to recognizing talent that contributes to our nation's growth. 🇮🇳
Why always the same categories—arts, sports, medicine? No recognition for our unsung heroes like the sanitation workers or grassroots teachers who do amazing work in remote villages. How about a Padma for someone who has cleaned our drains for 50 years? That would truly honor "service." Just my humble Chennai thoughts. 🤔
As an American working in India, I find the Padma Awards fascinating. The fact that a US-based doctor and a Russian academic can be honored shows global inclusivity. But 56 Padma Shri in one ceremony? Seems like it's diluted a bit. Still, good on India for celebrating achievements at such a grand scale.
No mention of any sportspeople other than football? Vijay Amritraj is old school—would have loved to see someone like a young chess player or a para-ath
We welcome thoughtful discussions from our readers. Please keep comments respectful and on-topic.