Dharmendra Honoured Posthumously with Padma Vibhushan at Civil Investiture Ceremony
Andalib Akhter / New Delhi
President Droupadi Murmu on Monday conferred the Padma Awards 2026 on 66 distinguished personalities during the first Civil Investiture Ceremony held at Rashtrapati Bhavan. Among the awardees, two personalities received the Padma Vibhushan, six were honoured with the Padma Bhushan, and 58 were presented with the Padma Shri.
Veteran film actor Dharmendra Singh Deol was posthumously awarded the Padma Vibhushan for his outstanding contribution to the field of art. The honour was received by his wife and Lok Sabha MP Hema Malini. Renowned violin maestro Dr. N. Rajam was also conferred with the Padma Vibhushan.
In the Padma Bhushan category, former Uttarakhand Chief Minister and former Maharashtra Governor Bhagat Singh Koshyari was honoured for his contribution to public affairs. Other recipients included Shatavadhani Dr R Ganesh in the field of art, industrialist Uday Suresh Kumar Kotak for trade and industry, and Dr Kallipatti Ramasamy Palaiswamy for his distinguished service in medicine.
Among those awarded the Padma Shri was Indian women’s cricket team captain Harmanpreet Kaur for her achievements in sports. Taga Ram Bheel was recognised for his contribution to art, while other recipients included Ratilal Mohanlal Borisagar, Swami Brahmdev, and Kumar Bose.
The ceremony was attended by Vice President C. P. Radhakrishnan, Prime Minister Narendra Modi, Union Ministers Amit Shah, Gajendra Singh Shekhawat and H. D. Kumaraswamy, among other dignitaries.
For 2026, the President has approved 131 Padma Awards, including five Padma Vibhushan, 13 Padma Bhushan, and 113 Padma Shri honours. The remaining awardees will receive their honours during the second phase of the ceremony scheduled later this year. Announced annually on the eve of Republic Day, the Padma Awards are among India’s highest civilian honours, recognising excellence in fields such as art, social work, public affairs, science and engineering, medicine, literature, education, sports, and civil service.