Padma Awards 2025: President Murmu Honours 69 Icons, Including Sharda Sinha, Arijit Singh, R Ashwin-OxBig News Network

In a grand ceremony held at Rashtrapati Bhavan, President Droupadi Murmu on Tuesday conferred Padma Awards to 69 people who’ve made distinctive contributions in numerous fields akin to artwork, literature, training, public affairs, drugs, social work, science, sports activities, and business. The occasion, attended by Prime Minister Narendra Modi, Home Minister Amit Shah, External Affairs Minister S. Jaishankar, and different dignitaries, marked the second section of the Padma Awards ceremony for the yr 2025.  

Attended the Civil Investiture Ceremony-II, the place the Padma Awards had been offered. The Padma awardees have made notable contributions to our society. The life journeys of those that had been conferred the Padma are deeply motivating. pic.twitter.com/A4Z8wAv2pb

— Narendra Modi (@narendramodi) May 27, 2025

The Padma Awards, among the many highest civilian honours of India, are conferred in three classes: Padma Vibhushan, Padma Bhushan, and Padma Shri. This yr, the federal government had introduced a complete of 139 Padma awardees on the eve of Republic Day.

Among these honoured on this section had been 3 Padma Vibhushan, 9 Padma Bhushan, and 57 Padma Shri awardees. The ceremony held particular significance with 13 posthumous recognitions, honouring legends who left a long-lasting legacy of their fields.

One of probably the most emotional moments of the occasion was the posthumous conferral of the Padma Vibhushan to late Bhojpuri and people singer Dr Sharda Sinha, whose music resonated deeply with the Indian heartland. Her son, Anshuman Sinha, obtained the award on behalf of the legendary people singer, famend for her devotional and Chhath songs.

Other recipients of the Padma Vibhushan included former Chief Justice of India Jagdish Singh Khehar and classical dancer Kumudini Lakhia (posthumous).

The Padma Bhushan awardees included social activist Sadhvi Ritambhara, recognized for her function within the Ram Janmabhoomi motion, actor-politician Nandamuri Balakrishna, and celebrated journalist and creator A. Surya Prakash. Among the posthumous Padma Bhushan recipients had been legendary singer Pankaj Udhas, veteran politician Manohar Joshi, economist Bibek Debroy. enowned Malayalam author M.T. Vasudevan Nair, and Osamu Suzuki, the Japanese industrialist recognized for his pivotal function in Suzuki’s partnership with India.

The largest share of honours got here beneath the Padma Shri class, with 57 people recognised for his or her grassroots and modern contributions throughout the nation. Prominent names embrace playback singer Arijit Singh, cricketer R. Ashwin, creator Pratibha Satpathy, former SBI Chairperson Arundhati Bhattacharya, and violinist Tejendra Narayan Majumdar. The checklist additionally included international nationals, NRIs, PIOs, and OCIs—ten in complete—reflecting India’s acknowledgement of worldwide contributions.

Notably, 23 of the awardees are ladies, showcasing the rising recognition of feminine excellence in varied sectors. The Padma Awards proceed to honour unsung heroes—a lot of them from distant areas—who’ve made important contributions with out in search of the limelight.

This yr’s ceremony reaffirms the spirit of “nation first, folks first”, with awardees reflecting India’s cultural, scientific, and humanitarian range. The authorities’s efforts to democratise the Padma Awards have made them a real folks’s honour, celebrating not simply fame, however significant service.