Vijay Amritraj, Mammootty, Rohit Sharma, Alka Yagnik take home Padma awards

Vijay Amritraj, Mammootty, Rohit Sharma, Alka Yagnik take home Padma awards

Mangalore Today News Network

New Delhi, Jun 24, 2026: Tennis legend Vijay Amritraj, actors Mammootty and Satish Shah, cricketer Rohit Sharma, and playback singer Alka Yagnik were among the eminent personalities who received the Padma awards from President Droupadi Murmu on Tuesday (June 23, 2026).

The Padma awards, one of the highest civilian awards of the country, are conferred in three categories – the Padma Vibhushan, Padma Bhushan, and the Padma Shri.

The awards are given in various disciplines such as art, social work, public affairs, science and engineering, trade and industry, medicine, literature and education, sports, and civil service. The Padma Vibhushan is awarded for exceptional and distinguished service; the Padma Bhushan for distinguished service of high order, and the Padma Shri for distinguished service in any field.

In the second civil investiture ceremony at the Ganatantra Mandap of the Rashtrapati Bhavan, the President presented the Padma Vibhushan to former Supreme Court judge K. T. Thomas for public affairs and to eminent Malayalam journalist P. Narayanan for contribution to literature and education.

Alka Yagnik, Mammootty, American oncologist Dattatreyudu Nori, Vijay Amritraj, industrialist S.K.M. Maeilanandhan, and social worker and educationist Vellappally Natesan received the Padma Bhushan from the President during the ceremony.

Rupi Soren, wife of Jharkhand Mukti Morcha founder Shibu Soren, received the Padma Bhushan on behalf of the late leader.

The President conferred the Padma Shri on cricketer Rohit Sharma, who led India to victory in the last T-20 World Cup, and on hockey player Savita Punia.

Full list of Padma Awards 2026

Georgian coach honoured

Vladimir Mestvirishvili, the Georgian coach who mentored Indian Olympic medallists such as Sushil Kumar, Yogeshwar Dutt, and Ravi Dahiya was awarded the Padma Shri posthumously. His wife received the award on his behalf.

The function was attended by Vice-President C. P. Radhakrishnan, Prime Minister Narendra Modi, Lok Sabha Speaker Om Birla and Union Home Minister Amit Shah among other dignitaries.

Eighty-one-year-old folk artist and cultural guardian from Nagaland, Guru Sangyusang Pongener, received the Padma Shri, while social worker Budhri Tati, who works in the field of education and women empowerment in the previously naxal-affected Bastar region of Chhattisgarh, also received Padma Shri.

The President also conferred the Padma Shri on actor Satish Shah posthumously. The actor was known for essaying prominent roles in the country’s first sitcom Ye Jo Hai Zindagi, Sarabhai Vs Sarabhai and cult movie Jaane Bhi Do Yaaro. His brother received the award on his behalf.

During the ceremony, the President presented 65 awards – two Padma Vibhushan, seven Padma Bhushan and 56 Padma Shri.

Actor R. Madhavan, Indian aerospace scientist at the Defence Research and Development Laboratory, Chandramouli Gaddamanugu, who led the Akash missile system from development to deployment during Operation Sindoor, and Dalit author Asok Kumar Haldar were among those received the Padma Shri.

On Republic Day eve, the government had announced 131 Padma awards, including two duo cases (in a duo case, the award is counted as one). The awards comprised five Padma Vibhushan, 13 Padma Bhushan and 113 Padma Shri. Sixty-five of them were presented at the fist investiture ceremony held on May 25. The remaining awards (including a duo) were presented during the ceremony on Tuesday (June 23, 2026).