Recently, President Droupadi Murmu presented Padma awards to 71 eminent individuals during the Civil Investiture Ceremony-I held at Rashtrapati Bhavan.
About Padma Awards

- The Padma Awards are among India’s highest civilian honors, given in three categories:
- Padma Vibhushan: Awarded for exceptional and distinguished service.
- Padma Bhushan: Awarded for distinguished service of a high order.
- Padma Shri: Awarded for distinguished service in any field.
- The awards are announced annually on January 26, Republic Day.
- Instituted in 1954, the Padma Awards recognize distinguished contributions in various fields of public life.
- The awards were not presented in the years 1978, 1979, and from 1993 to 1997.
- Objective: To acknowledge exceptional and distinguished service across various disciplines and activities.
- Disciplines: Padma Awards are conferred across disciplines like art, literature, education, science, engineering, sports, social work, public affairs, medicine, trade and industry, civil service, etc.
- Eligibility
- All individuals, irrespective of occupation, position, race, or gender, are eligible for the Padma Awards.
- Government servants (except doctors and scientists working in PSUs) are generally not eligible.
- Nomination
- Nominations for Padma Awards can be submitted by any Indian citizen, including self-nomination.
- Recommendations are invited from Central and State governments, ministries, previous Bharat Ratna/Padma Vibhushan awardees, and institutions of excellence.
- Panel for Award
- The Padma Awards Committee is constituted annually by the Prime Minister and is headed by the Cabinet Secretary.
- It includes the Home Secretary, Secretary to the President, and 4–6 eminent persons as members.
- Final Approval
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- The final list of awardees is approved by the Home Minister, Prime Minister, and President of India.
- The list is announced publicly on the eve of Republic Day each year.
- Conferred by: The Padma Awards are formally presented by the President of India in a ceremonial function held at Rashtrapati Bhavan, usually in March or April.
Other Important Facts
- An individual may be awarded a higher category Padma honor only after five years of receiving a previous one, barring exceptional cases.
- The total number of awards in a year, excluding posthumous and foreign/NRI/OCI recipients, should not exceed 120.
- The awards do not bestow a title and should not be used as a prefix or suffix to the awardee’s name.
About 2025 Padma Award List
- The 2025 Padma Awards include 7 Padma Vibhushan, 19 Padma Bhushan, and 113 Padma Shri honors.
- Among the awardees, 23 are women, 10 are Foreigners/NRI/PIO/OCI, and 13 received the awards posthumously.
- The list also features 1 duo award and celebrates the contributions of 30 unsung heroes, including 100-year-old Goa freedom fighter Libia Lobo Sardesai.
Some Notable Padma Awards conferred at Civil Investiture Ceremony-I
Category |
Awardees |
Area of Contribution |
Padma Vibhushan |
Osamu Suzuki (Posthumous) |
Trade and Industry (Automobile Industry) |
M.T. Vasudevan Nair (Posthumous) |
Literature and Education (Malayalam Literature and Cinema) |
D. Nageshwar Reddy |
Medicine (Gastroenterology) |
L. Subramaniam |
Art (Music – Violin) |
Padma Bhushan |
Shekhar Kapur |
Art (Cinema/Filmmaking) |
Nandamuri Balakrishna |
Art (Cinema/Acting) |
Sushil Kumar Modi (Posthumous) |
Public Affairs (Politics) |
Pankaj Udhas (Posthumous) |
Art (Music – Ghazal Singing) |
P.R. Sreejesh |
Sports (Hockey) |
S. Ajith Kumar |
Art (Cinema/Acting – Tamil Cinema) |
Pankaj Patel |
Trade and Industry (Pharmaceuticals – Zydus Lifesciences) |
Vinod Dham |
Science and Engineering (Technology – Microprocessor Development) |
Padma Shri |
Lakshmipathy Ramasubbaiyer |
Literature and Education (Journalism – Tamil Daily “Dinamalar”) |
Arundhati Bhattacharya |
Trade and Industry (Banking and Finance – Former SBI Chairperson) |
Maruti Bhujangrao Chitampalli |
Literature and Education (Wildlife Conservation and Writing) |
Bhimavva Doddabalappa Shillekyathara |
Art (Traditional Puppetry – Togalu Gombeyaata) |
A.K. Mahapatra |
Medicine (Neurosurgery and Medical Education) |
Jaspinder Narula Kaul |
Art (Music – Punjabi Singing) |
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