New Delhi: Under the towering, majestic chandeliers of the Ganatantra Mandap at Rashtrapati Bhavan, the atmosphere on Tuesday evening felt profoundly distinct. As the soft military trumpets sounded, it wasn’t just the dazzling lights of India’s cultural elite that illuminated the room. Instead, the true brilliance lay in the seamless alignment of raw, unsung human grit with legendary milestone creators. Here, inside the beating heart of India’s capital, President Droupadi Murmu presided over the year’s second grand Civil Investiture Ceremony, bestowing the prestigious Padma Awards upon 65 exceptional personalities.
Seated in the distinguished front row, Prime Minister Narendra Modi, Vice President C.P. Radhakrishnan, and Union Home Minister Amit Shah watched a moving tapestry of India’s collective genius unfold. The 2026 honors list brilliantly bridged the gap between modern cultural icons and grassroots trailblazers, handing out two Padma Vibhushan, seven Padma Bhushan, and 56 Padma Shri awards.
Among the evening’s most poignant moments was the arrival of veteran playback singer Alka Yagnik to receive the Padma Bhushan. Emotionally navigating her ongoing battle with a severe hearing loss disorder, Yagnik was gently escorted to the stage by an usher. Before accepting her medal, she paused to touch Prime Minister Modi’s feet in a traditional gesture of respect, a quiet, human moment that drew warm applause from the gathered dignitaries.
The room erupted once more when Malayalam cinema megastar Mammootty stepped forward to receive his Padma Bhushan, marking over 50 years of matchless artistic contribution to Indian cinema. Accompanied by his wife Sulfath, his son and popular actor Dulquer Salmaan, and daughter Surumi, the veteran actor’s recognition stood out as a crowning legacy achievement. The solemnity of public service was also deeply felt when Rupi Soren, the wife of the late Jharkhand Mukti Morcha (JMM) founder Shibu Soren, walked up to accept the posthumous Padma Bhushan on behalf of her late husband.
The sheer diversity of the awards shone brightest during the presentation of the Padma Shri. Indian cricket captain Rohit Sharma, who famously marshaled the national team to an emotional ICC Men’s T20 World Cup victory, was honored alongside women’s hockey stalwart Savita Punia and popular actor R. Madhavan. Yet, in true newsroom style, the real soul of the ceremony belonged to the unsung heroes—like 83-year-old Nagaland folk artist Guru Sangyusang Pongener, who proudly walked up in full traditional attire, and social worker Budhri Tati, who was recognized for her fierce, decades-long crusade for women’s education in the conflict-ridden Bastar region of Chhattisgarh.
Earlier this year, the central government had announced a total of 131 Padma Awards on the eve of Republic Day, split evenly across two distinct palace investiture functions. With the first batch of 66 honors successfully delivered on May 26, Tuesday’s concluding ceremony stands as a balanced reminder of what the nation values most: a lifetime of unwavering dedication, whether under the glittering arc-lights of stadium fame or in the quiet, dusty corners of rural transformation.