Padma Awards (2026): President Droupadi Murmu conferred the Padma Awards 2026 at the first civil investiture ceremony held at the Ganatantra Mandap of Rashtrapati Bhavan on Monday evening. Prime Minister Narendra Modi, Vice President CP Radhakrishnan, and Home Minister Amit Shah attended the event. This year, the President approved 131 awards in total, comprising five Padma Vibhushan, 13 Padma Bhushan, and 113 Padma Shri. The first phase of the ceremony covered 66 of the 131 awardees. Several prominent names from Indian cinema, music, and theatre were among those honoured.
Padma Vibhushan: Dharmendra (Posthumous)
The highest-ranked entertainment honour at this year’s ceremony went to late actor Dharmendra Singh Deol, who received the Padma Vibhushan posthumously. He passed away on November 24, 2025 at his Mumbai residence at the age of 89. His wife and actress Hema Malini received the award on his behalf. Their daughter Ahana Deol was also present.
Dharmendra made his Bollywood debut in 1960 with ‘Dil Bhi Tera Hum Bhi Tere’ and went on to act in over 300 films across more than six decades. His credits include ‘Sholay’, ‘Chupke Chupke’, ‘Seeta Aur Geeta’, ‘Phool Aur Patthar’, ‘Yaadon Ki Baaraat’, ‘The Burning Train’. He had previously received the Padma Bhushan in 2012. His final screen appearance was in ‘Ikkis’ (2025).
Padma Bhushan: Mammootty
Malayalam actor Mammootty received the Padma Bhushan for his contribution to Indian cinema. He had earlier received the Padma Shri in 1998. Mammootty holds three National Film Awards for Best Actor, won for ‘Oru Vadakkan Veeragatha’ and ‘Mathilukal’ (1990), ‘Vidheyan’ and ‘Ponthan Mada’ (1994), and ‘Dr. Babasaheb Ambedkar’ (1997). His filmography spans several decades and includes titles such as ‘Bheeshma Parvam’, ‘Turbo’, ‘Kaathal: The Core’, ‘Barayugam’.
Padma Bhushan: Alka Yagnik
Playback singer Alka Yagnik was awarded Padma Bhushan for her contribution to Indian music. Born in Kolkata, she began singing bhajans for Calcutta Radio at the age of six. She got her major break with song ‘Ek Do Teen’ from the film ‘Tezaab’ (1988). Over her career, she has sung in over 700 films and recorded more than 20,000 songs across 25 languages.
She holds two National Film Awards for Best Female Playback Singer, for ‘Ghoonghat Ki Aad Se’ from ‘Hum Hain Rahi Pyar Ke’ (1993) and the title track of ‘Kuch Kuch Hota Hai’ (1998). She has also won seven Filmfare Awards for Best Female Playback Singer. In 2024, Yagnik disclosed she was diagnosed with a rare sensorineural nerve hearing loss following a viral attack, which has since prevented her from taking on new singing work.
Padma Shri: Prosenjit Chatterjee
Bengali actor Prosenjit Chatterjee received the Padma Shri at the ceremony on Monday. He attended the event dressed in a traditional Bengali outfit. With a career spanning nearly five decades, Prosenjit has acted in over 350 films. He has worked predominantly in Bengali cinema. Notable films include ‘Dosar’, ‘Autograph’, ‘Moner Manush’, ‘Chokher Bali’, ‘Utsab’, ‘Shanghai’.
Also Read: Padma Shri for Prosenjit Chatterjee: Veteran Bengali actor dedicates honour to late mother and family
Padma Shri: R Madhavan
Actor Madhavan Ranganathan, widely known as R Madhavan, received Padma Shri for his contribution to Indian cinema. He has worked across Tamil and Hindi films, with credits that include ‘Tanu Weds Manu’, ‘3 Idiots’, ‘Rang De Basanti’, ‘Rocketry: The Nambi Effect’, ‘Shaitaan’.
Upon announcement of the award in January 2026, Madhavan posted on Instagram stating he accepted the honour with “profound gratitude and humility” and dedicated it to his family, mentors, and public.
Padma Shri: Satish Shah (Posthumous)
Veteran actor Satish Shah received the Padma Shri posthumously. He died last year at the age of 74 due to kidney-related complications. He became household name through television shows including ‘Sarabhai vs Sarabhai’, ‘Yeh Jo Hai Zindagi’, ‘FIR’. His film appearances include ‘Jaane Bhi Do Yaaro’, ‘Main Hoon Na’, ‘Hum Aapke Hain Koun’, ‘Dilwale Dulhania Le Jayenge’, and ‘Mujhse Shaadi Karogi’.
Padma Shri: Anil Kumar Rastogi
Veteran theatre and film actor Anil Kumar Rastogi also received the Padma Shri this year. An actor who has worked across theatre and cinema, he was among the several arts personalities honoured at the ceremony.
Padma Shri: Arvind Vaidya
Veteran Gujarati film actor and director Arvind Vaidya was honoured with the Padma Shri. He has contributed to Gujarati cinema both as a performer and as a director over the course of his career.