Padma Awards 2026: Rohit Sharma, Mammootty, Alka Yagnik among 65 honoured by President Murmu
Synopsis
India's Padma Awards 2026 second ceremony brought together sport, cinema, music and medicine under one roof at Rashtrapati Bhawan — with Rohit Sharma finally collecting his Padma Shri after missing the May ceremony, and Vijay Amritraj, Mammootty and Alka Yagnik receiving the Padma Bhushan. The full cycle now closes with 130 awardees across both ceremonies.
Key Takeaways
President Droupadi Murmu conferred 65 Padma Awards at the Second Civil Investiture Ceremony on 23 June 2026 at Rashtrapati Bhawan .
The ceremony included two Padma Vibhushan , seven Padma Bhushan , and 56 Padma Shri awards.
Vijay Amritraj , Mammootty , Alka Yagnik , and Dr Dattatreyudu Nori were among the Padma Bhushan recipients.
Rohit Sharma and R Madhavan received the Padma Shri ; Sharma had missed the first ceremony in May 2026 .
JMM founder Shibu Soren was posthumously awarded the Padma Bhushan .
The list included awardees from four countries — India, the United States, Russia, and Georgia.
President Droupadi Murmu on Tuesday, 23 June 2026 conferred Padma Awards on 65 distinguished individuals at the Second Civil Investiture Ceremony held at Rashtrapati Bhawan, New Delhi. Among those honoured were tennis legend Vijay Amritraj, Malayalam cinema icon Mammootty, former Indian cricket captain Rohit Sharma, and celebrated playback singer Alka Yagnik.
Vice-President C.P. Radhakrishnan, Prime Minister Narendra Modi, Home Minister Amit Shah, and several Union Ministers attended the ceremony.
Awards Conferred at the Ceremony
The Second Civil Investiture Ceremony saw the conferral of two Padma Vibhushan, seven Padma Bhushan, and 56 Padma Shri awards. This follows the First Civil Investiture Ceremony held on 25 May 2026, at which President Murmu had conferred another 65 Padma Awards — comprising two Padma Vibhushan, six Padma Bhushan, and 57 Padma Shri.
P. Narayanan and Justice (retd.) K.T. Thomas received the Padma Vibhushan for Literature and Education, and Public Affairs, respectively. Former Union Minister and Jharkhand Mukti Morcha (JMM) founder Shibu Soren was posthumously awarded the Padma Bhushan.
Other Padma Bhushan recipients included Vijay Amritraj, S.K.M. Maeilanandhan, Mammootty, Vellappally Natesan, Dr Dattatreyudu Nori, and Alka Yagnik. Actor R Madhavan was among those awarded the Padma Shri.
Notable Awardees and Their Reactions
Vijay Amritraj, receiving the Padma Bhushan, said: 'I feel truly honoured. I am extremely excited and happy about this magnificent honour from the Government of India. It is a matter of pride for me. Padma Awards are very special. Receiving the Padma Bhushan at this stage of my career is truly significant.'
Mammootty thanked his audiences for their 'endless love, trust and support', which he said had kept him 'going every single day.' His production house, Mammootty Kampany, shared a video of the actor receiving the honour, describing it as 'a moment of immense pride for Indian cinema.'
Cricketer Rohit Sharma, who had missed the First Civil Investiture Ceremony in May, attended Tuesday's event with his wife Ritika Sajdeh and received the Padma Shri. The Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI)'s official Indian cricket team handle posted a video of the moment, calling it 'a highly prestigious honour for a great of the game.'
International Awardees
The list included recipients from four countries. Dr Dattatreyudu Nori of the United States received the Padma Bhushan for Medicine, while fellow American Professor Prateek Sharma was awarded the Padma Shri in the same field. Russia's Liudmila Khokhlova was recognised with a Padma Shri for Literature and Education. Vladimer Mestvirishvili of Georgia was posthumously awarded the Padma Shri for Sports.
Other Notable Recipients
Professor Mahendra Nath Roy from West Bengal received the Padma Shri for Science and Engineering. Renowned paediatrician and neonatologist Dr Armida Fernandez was conferred the Padma Shri for her contributions to medicine and public health. Dr Suresh Hanagavad also received the Padma Shri for contributions in medicine.
Padma Awards — among the highest civilian honours in India — are announced on Republic Day every year and span fields including arts, social work, public affairs, science and engineering, trade and industry, medicine, literature, education, sports, and civil service. With the conclusion of the Second Ceremony, the full Padma Awards 2026 cycle is now complete.
Point of View
Malayalam cinema, tennis, and classical music in a single sitting. Rohit Sharma's attendance after missing the May ceremony drew outsized attention, reflecting how individual celebrity can overshadow the awards' original ethos of recognising quiet distinction. The inclusion of four foreign nationals, including a posthumous Georgian recipient, signals an intent to project the honours as globally inclusive. Yet the sheer volume — 130 awardees across two ceremonies — raises a recurring question: does scale dilute prestige?
NationPress
23 Jun 2026
Frequently Asked Questions
Who were the Padma Bhushan recipients at the Second Civil Investiture Ceremony 2026?
The Padma Bhushan was awarded to Vijay Amritraj, Mammootty, Alka Yagnik, S.K.M. Maeilanandhan, Vellappally Natesan, Dr Dattatreyudu Nori, and posthumously to Shibu Soren at the Second Civil Investiture Ceremony on 23 June 2026.
Did Rohit Sharma receive his Padma Shri at the second ceremony?
Yes. Rohit Sharma received his Padma Shri at the Second Civil Investiture Ceremony on 23 June 2026, having missed the first ceremony held on 25 May 2026. He attended the event with his wife Ritika Sajdeh.
What are the three categories of Padma Awards?
Padma Awards are conferred in three categories: Padma Vibhushan for exceptional and distinguished service, Padma Bhushan for distinguished service of high order, and Padma Shri for distinguished service in any field. They are among the highest civilian honours in India.
Were any foreign nationals honoured at the Padma Awards 2026 second ceremony?
Yes, the list included two Americans — Dr Dattatreyudu Nori (Padma Bhushan, Medicine) and Professor Prateek Sharma (Padma Shri, Medicine) — Russia's Liudmila Khokhlova (Padma Shri, Literature and Education), and Georgia's Vladimer Mestvirishvili, who was posthumously awarded the Padma Shri for Sports.
How many Padma Awards were conferred across both 2026 ceremonies in total?
A total of 130 Padma Awards were conferred across both ceremonies — 65 at the First Civil Investiture Ceremony on 25 May 2026, and 65 at the Second Civil Investiture Ceremony on 23 June 2026.
