New Delhi, June 20 (IANS) President Droupadi Murmu will present Padma Awards for 2026 at the Civil Investiture Ceremony-II at Rashtrapati Bhawan in New Delhi on June 23, with former Union Minister Shibu Soren, Tennis star Vijay Amritraj, actor Mammootty and singer Alka Yagnik figuring among the 65 awardees, an official said on Saturday.

Vice-President C.P. Radhakrishnan, Prime Minister Narendra Modi, Union Home Minister and Cooperation Minister Amit Shah, Union Ministers and other dignitaries will also attend the ceremony that will begin at 5 p.m.

In the Second Civil Investiture Ceremony, the President will confer 65 Padma Awards, including two Padma Vibhushan, seven Padma Bhushan and 56 Padma Shri.

President Murmu had conferred 65 Padma Awards, including two Padma Vibhushan, six Padma Bhushan and 57 Padma Shri in the First Civil Investiture Ceremony held on May 25.

Padma Awards — one of the highest civilian awards of the country — are conferred in three categories, namely, Padma Vibhushan, Padma Bhushan and Padma Shri.

The Awards are given in various disciplines/fields of activities, including art, social work, public affairs, science and engineering, trade and industry, medicine, literature and education, sports and civil service.

‘Padma Vibhushan’ is awarded for exceptional and distinguished service; ‘Padma Bhushan’ for distinguished service of high order and ‘Padma Shri’ for distinguished service in any field.

The awards are announced on the occasion of Republic Day every year.

While former Union Minister and Jharkhand Mukti Morcha (JMM) founder Shibu Soren has been selected for a posthumous Padma Bhushan, P. Narayanan and Justice (retd.) K.T. Thomas will be awarded Padma Vibhushan for Literature and Education and Public Affairs, respectively.

Other awardees include the Padma Bhushan awardees include: Vijay Amritraj, S.K.M. Maeilanandhan, Mammootty, Vellappally Natesan, Dattatreyudu Nori and Alka Yagnik.

The list of awardees includes two Americans, a Russian and a Georgian citizen.

Doctor Dattatreyudu Nori of the US will be awarded Padma Bhushan in field of Medicine. Professor Prateek Sharma will be awarded Padma Shri for Medicine.

Russia’s Liudmila Khokhlova has been picked for Padma Shri in Literature and Education.

Vladimer Mestvirishvili of Georgia will be posthumously awarded the Padma Shri for Sports.

Professor Mahendra Nath Roy from West Bengal has been picked for a Padma Shri in the field of Science and Engineering, a statement said.

–IANS

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