President Murmu to confer remaining 65 Padma awards on June 23

The second Civil Investiture Ceremony at Rashtrapati Bhavan will honour notable figures in Indian cinema, completing the 2026 roll of 131 civilian awardees.

The hallowed halls of the Rashtrapati Bhavan are set to witness the second and final round of the 2026 civil investiture ceremony, where President Murmu will confer the remaining Padma awards on 65 distinguished personalities. This upcoming event on June 23 follows the first phase of the ceremony held on May 25, which saw 66 eminent individuals receive their honours.

The list of recipients for the second phase highlights an eclectic mix of veteran talent from the Indian film industry. Among those being honoured is the legendary Malayalam actor Mammootty, who is set to receive the Padma Bhushan. His career, spanning five decades and 400 films, has been defined not just by his versatility on screen but also by his significant philanthropic contributions.

Joining him at the ceremony is actor R. Madhavan, widely known as "Maddy," who will be conferred the Padma Shri. With a body of work encompassing 1,200 television episodes and 75 films across Hindi, Tamil, and other regional languages, Madhavan’s recognition underscores the evolving footprint of Indian actors in national discourse. The event will also see a poignant moment as the kin of the late Satish Shah accept the Padma Shri on his behalf. A pioneer of the country’s first sitcom, Ye Jo Hai Zindagi, and a veteran of stage and screen, Shah’s posthumous award celebrates his enduring impact on Indian popular culture. Telugu actor Gadde Babu Rajendra Prasad, a stalwart with 286 films to his credit over four decades, is also slated to receive the Padma Shri.

The Bigger Picture

The conferment of these awards is more than a formal ceremony; it serves as a barometer for how the state chooses to recognise cultural capital in modern India. By balancing the recognition of veteran regional stars alongside mainstream cinema figures, the selection process reflects a deliberate move toward national integration through art. These civilian honours, instituted in 1954, remain a vital soft-power tool for the state to acknowledge contributions that go beyond public office or corporate influence, reaching into the lives of those who have shaped the national psyche through literature, medicine, sports, and social work.

The government’s approval of 131 awards this year—comprising five Padma Vibhushans, 13 Padma Bhushans, and 113 Padma Shris—represents a significant administrative undertaking. With the first phase already concluded, the June 23 event will finalise the distribution of the remaining honours. For those looking to the future, the nomination window for the 2027 cycle is already active, with the Rashtriya Puraskar Portal accepting entries until July 31, 2026. This cyclical process ensures that the recognition of "distinguished service" remains a constant, year-round administrative priority, reinforcing the prestige attached to these civilian titles.