India’s most prestigious civilian honours, the Padma Awards, were presented at a grand ceremony in Delhi on Monday evening, where several distinguished names from the world of entertainment were recognised for their contribution to Indian arts and culture.

From legendary actors to celebrated singers, the evening at Rashtrapati Bhavan witnessed an emotional blend of celebration, nostalgia and national pride. Veteran stars including R Madhavan, Mammootty and Alka Yagnik received their honours directly from President Droupadi Murmu, while late icons Dharmendra and Satish Shah were remembered with posthumous recognitions.

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Posthumous Honours for Dharmendra and Satish Shah

One of the most emotional moments of the evening came when Dharmendra was conferred with the posthumous Padma Vibhushan. The honour was received by actor and parliamentarian Hema Malini on his behalf. Dharmendra, whose illustrious journey in Indian cinema spanned over six decades, passed away on November 24 last year, just days before turning 90.

राष्ट्रपति द्रौपदी मुर्मु ने श्री धर्मेंद्र सिंह देओल (मरणोपरांत) को कला के क्षेत्र में पद्म विभूषण से सम्मानित किया। वे भारतीय सिनेमा के एक विलक्षण व्यक्तित्व रूप में सदैव प्रतिष्ठित रहेंगे। उन्होंने संसद सदस्य के रूप में भी अपनी सेवाएं प्रदान कीं। उनका योगदान छह दशकों से भी… pic.twitter.com/9fxBaEgl3T

— President of India (@rashtrapatibhvn) May 25, 2026

The actor had earlier been awarded the Padma Bhushan in 2012 and remained one of Hindi cinema’s most beloved stars.

Actor Satish Shah was posthumously conferred with the Padma Shri. Known for his remarkable comic timing and memorable performances across films and television, Satish Shah passed away on October 25 last year at the age of 74 after a career lasting nearly five decades.

Advertising veteran Piyush Pandey was honoured with the Padma Bhushan, while Yumnam Jatra Singh from Manipur and R Krishnan from Tamil Nadu received the Padma Shri.

Mammootty, Madhavan and Alka Yagnik Among Top Recipients

A total of 44 honours were presented to personalities from the entertainment industry this year. Singer Alka Yagnik and Malayalam cinema superstar Mammootty received the Padma Bhushan for their exceptional contribution to Indian arts.

Telugu actors Rajendra Prasad and Murali Mohan, multilingual actor R Madhavan, Bengali star Prosenjit Chatterjee and singer Tripti Mukherjee were conferred with the Padma Shri.

Mammootty was recently seen in the film Patriot alongside longtime friend and fellow Padma award recipient Mohanlal. Interestingly, Mammootty had earlier received the Padma Shri in 1998, making this his second Padma honour.

For both Madhavan and Alka Yagnik, this marked their first-ever Padma recognition.

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131 Padma Honours Announced Across Categories

This year, the Padma Awards were presented to 131 individuals from diverse fields including arts, literature, public affairs, medicine, science and social work. The final list featured 5 Padma Vibhushan honours, 13 Padma Bhushan awards and 113 Padma Shri recipients.