President Murmu presents Padma awards 2026

President Droupadi Murmu conferred Padma Awards to 66 eminent personalities for the year 2026 during the first Civil Investiture Ceremony held at Rashtrapati Bhavan on 25 May.

For the year 2026, the President approved the conferment of 131 Padma Awards, including five Padma Vibhushan, 13 Padma Bhushan, and 113 Padma Shri awards. The remaining awardees will receive their honours during the second round of the ceremony to be held later.

Padma Vibhushan Awardees for 2026

The Padma Vibhushan awardees for 2026 are:

• Dharmendra Singh Deol (Posthumous)
• K. T. Thomas
• N. Rajam
• P. Narayanan
• V. S. Achuthanandan (Posthumous)

About the Padma Awards

The Padma Awards are among the highest civilian honours of India and are announced annually on the eve of Republic Day.

The Government of India instituted two civilian awards — Bharat Ratna and Padma Vibhushan — in 1954. Initially, the Padma Vibhushan had three classes: Pahela Varg, Dusra Varg, and Tisra Varg. These were later renamed as Padma Vibhushan, Padma Bhushan, and Padma Shri through a Presidential notification issued on 8 January 1955.

Categories of Awards: The Padma Awards are presented in three categories:

• Padma Vibhushan – for exceptional and distinguished service
• Padma Bhushan – for distinguished service of a higher order
• Padma Shri – for distinguished service

The awards recognise achievements across various fields and disciplines involving public service.

Selection Process and Eligibility: The Padma Awards are conferred on the recommendations of the Padma Awards Committee, which is constituted every year by the Prime Minister.

The nomination process is open to the public, and even self-nominations are permitted. All individuals, irrespective of race, occupation, position, or gender, are eligible for these honours. However, government servants, including employees of Public Sector Undertakings, are generally not eligible, except doctors and scientists.

Although Padma Awards are usually not awarded posthumously, the Government may confer them posthumously in highly deserving cases.

Source: PIB