Rijiju Congratulates Padma Vibhushan Awardees Narayanan, Thomas
Synopsis
Union Minister Kiren Rijiju congratulated P. Narayanan and K.T. Thomas on being conferred the Padma Vibhushan by President Droupadi Murmu at Rashtrapati Bhavan on June 24, 2026, calling their contributions an inspiration to generations.
Key Takeaways
Padma Vibhushan , India's second-highest civilian honour, was conferred on Shri P.
Narayanan and Shri K.T.
Thomas at Rashtrapati Bhavan on June 24, 2026 .
The award was presented by President Smt.
Droupadi Murmu , who has presided over civilian honour ceremonies since taking office in 2022 .
Union Minister Kiren Rijiju publicly congratulated both awardees on X, describing their service as 'lifelong dedication to the nation.' The Padma Vibhushan was instituted in 1954 and recognises exceptional and distinguished service across diverse fields.
The conferment is part of the #PeoplesPadma initiative, which emphasises public nominations to broaden the selection of awardees.
Union Parliamentary Affairs Minister Kiren Rijiju on Wednesday, June 24, 2026, extended congratulations to Shri P. Narayanan and Shri K.T. Thomas as they were conferred the Padma Vibhushan — India's second-highest civilian honour — by President Smt. Droupadi Murmu at Rashtrapati Bhavan in New Delhi.
Context
Rijiju took to X to express his felicitations, writing that the two awardees' 'exceptional contributions and lifelong dedication to the nation continue to inspire generations.' He added that the recognition was 'well-deserved,' underscoring the government's regard for their service. The post was tagged under #PadmaAwards and #PeoplesPadma, the official hashtags used to amplify the annual conferment ceremonies.
Policy Backdrop
The Padma Vibhushan is India's second-highest civilian award, instituted in 1954 alongside the broader Padma awards framework to recognise distinguished service across fields including public affairs, arts, sciences, literature and social work. Conferment ceremonies are held at Rashtrapati Bhavan, the official residence of the President of India, and constitute a long-standing constitutional tradition of state recognition. President Droupadi Murmu, who assumed office in 2022, presides over these ceremonies as the constitutional head of state empowered to confer civilian honours.
The Padma awards cycle typically begins with Republic Day announcements each January, followed by formal conferment ceremonies held later in the year at Rashtrapati Bhavan. Senior ministers routinely use official social-media channels to amplify these honours, reinforcing the executive's practice of publicising national recognition across political and non-political figures alike.
Stakeholders and Impact
P. Narayanan and K.T. Thomas join a distinguished line of Indians honoured with the Padma Vibhushan for exceptional and distinguished service to the nation. The award carries significant public resonance, as the #PeoplesPadma campaign reflects the government's effort to position the Padma honours as a recognition driven by public nominations rather than establishment consensus alone. Ministerial endorsements on social media extend the reach of such ceremonies beyond the immediate event at Rashtrapati Bhavan to a wider national audience.
The recognition of awardees from diverse backgrounds underscores the stated principle of honouring citizens irrespective of political affiliation — a pattern consistent across successive governments since the awards were instituted.
What's Next
The current conferment cycle will conclude with the completion of all 2026 Padma award ceremonies at Rashtrapati Bhavan. Attention will next turn to the Republic Day 2027 announcement, when the Government of India is expected to release the next cohort of Padma awardees across the Padma Shri, Padma Bhushan and Padma Vibhushan categories. The #PeoplesPadma public nomination process, which has been credited with broadening the awardee pool to include grassroots contributors, is expected to continue shaping future lists.
Point of View
Reinforcing the government's messaging around the #PeoplesPadma brand it has cultivated over recent years. The ceremony at Rashtrapati Bhavan on June 24 is part of a broader effort to position civilian honours as inclusive and merit-driven rather than politically curated. For a minister whose portfolio spans parliamentary affairs and minority affairs, such posts also serve a soft-diplomacy function — signalling the government's commitment to recognising service across communities. The forward momentum toward Republic Day 2027 nominations will test whether the public nomination pipeline continues to yield awardees seen as credibly non-partisan.
NationPress
24 Jun 2026
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the Padma Vibhushan award?
The Padma Vibhushan is India's second-highest civilian honour, instituted in 1954 by the Government of India to recognise exceptional and distinguished service to the nation across fields such as public affairs, arts, sciences, literature and social work.
Who conferred the Padma Vibhushan on P. Narayanan and K.T. Thomas?
President Smt. Droupadi Murmu conferred the Padma Vibhushan on Shri P. Narayanan and Shri K.T. Thomas at Rashtrapati Bhavan in New Delhi on June 24, 2026.
What did Kiren Rijiju say about the Padma Vibhushan awardees?
Union Minister Kiren Rijiju congratulated both awardees on X, saying their 'exceptional contributions and lifelong dedication to the nation continue to inspire generations' and calling the recognition 'well-deserved.'
Where are Padma award ceremonies held in India?
Padma award ceremonies are held at Rashtrapati Bhavan, the official residence of the President of India in New Delhi, where the President formally confers the honours.
When are the next Padma Awards expected to be announced?
The next cycle of Padma Awards is expected to be announced around Republic Day 2027, following the government's annual practice of releasing the list of awardees in January each year.
