New Delhi: President Droupadi Murmu presented the Padma Awards 2026 at the second Civil Investiture Ceremony held at Rashtrapati Bhavan in New Delhi on Tuesday evening, honouring 65 eminent personalities for their contributions to public life, arts, culture, sports and other fields.

President Droupadi Murmu presents the Padma Awards 2026
According to an official statement, the awards conferred during the ceremony comprised two Padma Vibhushan honours, seven Padma Bhushan awards and 56 Padma Shri awards. The ceremony formed the second phase of this year’s Padma Awards presentations, following the first investiture ceremony held in May. Overall, 131 Padma Awards were approved for 2026 and announced on the eve of Republic Day.

Among the prominent recipients recognised on Tuesday were veteran Malayalam actor Mammootty and celebrated playback singer Alka Yagnik, both of whom received the Padma Bhushan, India’s third-highest civilian honour. Their awards acknowledged decades of contribution to Indian cinema and music respectively.

The Padma Shri recipients included actor R Madhavan, actor Rajendra Prasad, actor Maganti Murali Mohan, actor Anil Kumar Rastogi and folk artist Guru Sangyusang Pongener. Madhavan was among the awardees seen receiving the honour from the President during the ceremony attended by senior political leaders and dignitaries.

A particularly poignant moment came with the posthumous recognition of actor Satish Shah. The late actor was honoured with the Padma Shri, and the award was received on his behalf by his brother, Arvind Shah.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Union Home Minister Amit Shah were among those present at the ceremony. Senior government officials, ministers and other distinguished guests also attended the event at Rashtrapati Bhavan.

The Padma Awards are among India’s highest civilian honours and are conferred annually in three categories — Padma Vibhushan, Padma Bhushan and Padma Shri. They recognise exceptional and distinguished service across disciplines including art, literature, education, science, medicine, social work, sports, public affairs and civil service.