New Delhi:
President Droupadi Murmu on Monday conferred the prestigious Padma Awards to 71 distinguished individuals at the Civil Investiture Ceremony held at the Rashtrapati Bhawan’s Durbar Hall. The honours included four Padma Vibhushan, 10 Padma Bhushan, and 57 Padma Shri awards, recognising outstanding contributions across diverse fields.
The event marked the first phase of Padma Award presentations for the year 2025.
Renowned violinist L. Subramaniam was awarded the Padma Vibhushan for his exceptional contribution to the field of art. The late Osamu Suzuki, former CEO of Suzuki Motor Corporation, was posthumously honoured with the Padma Vibhushan for his contributions to trade and industry. His son and current CEO Toshihiro Suzuki accepted the award on his behalf.
In the field of art, filmmaker Shekhar Kapur, actor and Andhra Pradesh legislator Nandamuri Balakrishna, actor S. Ajith Kumar, and the late singer Pankaj Udhas were awarded the Padma Bhushan. The award for Pankaj Udhas was received by his wife Farida Udhas. Former Indian hockey goalkeeper P.R. Sreejesh was conferred the Padma Bhushan for his achievements in sports.
Notable Padma Shri recipients included playback singer Jaspinder Narula for her contribution to music and Indian cricketer Ravichandran Ashwin for excellence in sports.
Prominent Vedic scholar Ganeshwar Shastri Dravid was also honoured with the Padma Shri. He is credited with determining the auspicious timings for the consecration of Ram Lalla at the Ram Janmabhoomi temple in Ayodhya and the foundation ceremony of the Kashi Vishwanath Corridor in Varanasi.
American author and researcher Stephen Knapp, known for his writings on Vedic culture and spirituality, was awarded the Padma Shri for his work in literature and education.
The Padma Awards, among India’s highest civilian honours, are presented annually to individuals for exceptional service in fields such as art, public affairs, science and engineering, medicine, social work, literature, and education.
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