Padma Awards 2026: Hema Malini Accepts Posthumous Padma Vibhushan for Dharmendra; Padma Bhushan Conferred on Mammootty, Alka Yagnik (Watch Video)
Padma Awards: President Droupadi Murmu conferred the prestigious national honors at Rashtrapati Bhavan, where veteran actress Hema Malini accepted the posthumous Padma Vibhushan on behalf of her late husband, Dharmendra. The ceremony also saw Malayalam cinema icon Mammootty and celebrated playback singer Alka Yagnik officially receive their Padma Bhushan awards.
President Droupadi Murmu presented the prestigious Padma Awards during a civil investiture ceremony held at the Ganatantra Mandap of Rashtrapati Bhavan. The high-profile event, attended by top national leaders including Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Union Home Minister Amit Shah, honoured dozens of citizens for their exceptional contributions to various fields. Among the prominent recipients recognised during the proceedings were legendary figures from Indian cinema and music. Padma Awards 2026: President Droupadi Murmu To Confer 66 Padma Awards at Rashtrapati Bhavan on May 25.
Entertainment Icons Honoured at Rashtrapati Bhavan
Malayalam cinema veteran Mammootty was officially conferred with the Padma Bhushan, India's third-highest civilian honour, celebrating his highly influential career spanning several decades across regional and national languages. In a profoundly emotional presentation, veteran actress and Member of Parliament Hema Malini accepted the posthumous Padma Vibhushan on behalf of her late husband, the legendary actor Dharmendra, who passed away in November 2025.
Watch the Padma Awards 2026 Live:
The honour recognises Dharmendra's six-decade legacy as a definitive pillar of Indian cinema. Celebrated playback singer Alka Yagnik was also among the day's top honorees, receiving the Padma Bhushan for her prolific and decades-long contributions to the Indian music industry.
Recognition Across Cinema and the Arts
The investiture ceremony featured several other notable artistic personalities who received the Padma Shri. Veteran Bengali actor Prosenjit Chatterjee was recognised for his massive body of work across nearly 50 years in cinema, alongside veteran theatre and television actors Anil Kumar Rastogi and Arvind Vaidya.
Additionally, a posthumous Padma Shri was awarded to the late actor Satish Shah, commemorating his iconic comedic contributions to Indian television and film. While the ceremony celebrated numerous notable figures, a few recipients, including actor-filmmaker R Madhavan, are scheduled to collect their respective awards at a later date.
The National Honours
The Padma Awards, instituted in 1954, stand as one of India's highest civilian commendations, traditionally announced annually on the eve of Republic Day. The honours are divided into three distinct tiers: the Padma Vibhushan for exceptional and distinguished service, the Padma Bhushan for distinguished service of a high order, and the Padma Shri for distinguished service in any given field. ‘You’ve Become Lord Bobby Now’: Bobby Deol Recalls Dharmendra’s Emotional Reaction After ‘Animal’ Success.
For this year's conferment cycle, the Government of India announced a total of 131 awards across diverse sectors, including art, social work, public affairs, science, engineering, trade, medicine, literature, and sports.
(The above story first appeared on LatestLY on May 25, 2026 05:37 PM IST. For more news and updates on politics, world, sports, entertainment and lifestyle, log on to our website latestly.com).
