Daijiworld Media Network – New Delhi
New Delhi, Jun 24: President Droupadi Murmu on Tuesday conferred Padma Awards on 65 distinguished personalities at the Second Civil Investiture Ceremony held at Rashtrapati Bhavan, recognising their outstanding contributions across diverse fields.
Vice-President C.P. Radhakrishnan, Prime Minister Narendra Modi, Union Home Minister Amit Shah, several Union Ministers and other dignitaries attended the ceremony.
The President presented two Padma Vibhushan, seven Padma Bhushan and 56 Padma Shri awards during the event. Earlier, in the first Civil Investiture Ceremony held on May 25, she had conferred another 65 Padma Awards.
Among the prominent awardees honoured on Tuesday were tennis legend Vijay Amritraj, Malayalam superstar Mammootty, cricketer Rohit Sharma, playback singer Alka Yagnik and actor R. Madhavan.
Former Union Minister and Jharkhand Mukti Morcha founder Shibu Soren was selected posthumously for the Padma Bhushan. P. Narayanan and former Supreme Court judge Justice K.T. Thomas were honoured with the Padma Vibhushan for their contributions to Literature and Education, and Public Affairs, respectively.
Other Padma Bhushan recipients included Vijay Amritraj, S.K.M. Maeilanandhan, Mammootty, Vellappally Natesan, Dattatreyudu Nori and Alka Yagnik.
Expressing his gratitude, Vijay Amritraj said receiving the Padma Bhushan was a matter of immense pride and a significant milestone in his career.
Mammootty also thanked his fans and well-wishers for their unwavering support. His production house, Mammootty Kampany, described the honour as a proud moment for Indian cinema.
Former Indian cricket captain Rohit Sharma attended the ceremony with his wife Ritika Sajdeh. The Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) shared visuals of the cricketer receiving the Padma Shri, calling it a prestigious recognition for one of India's modern cricket greats.
The Padma Awards, among the country's highest civilian honours, are presented annually in three categories — Padma Vibhushan, Padma Bhushan and Padma Shri — for distinguished service in fields such as arts, literature, education, medicine, sports, public affairs, science and engineering, social work and civil service.
This year's list also included international recipients. US-based oncologist Dr Dattatreyudu Nori received the Padma Bhushan for Medicine, while Professor Prateek Sharma was awarded the Padma Shri in the same field.
Russian national Liudmila Khokhlova was honoured with the Padma Shri for Literature and Education, while Georgia's Vladimer Mestvirishvili received a posthumous Padma Shri for Sports.
Other notable recipients included Professor Mahendra Nath Roy for Science and Engineering, renowned paediatrician and neonatologist Dr Armida Fernandez, and Dr Suresh Hanagavad for their contributions to medicine and public health.
The Padma Awards are announced annually on the eve of Republic Day and recognise individuals for exceptional and distinguished service to the nation across various disciplines.