Padma Awards 2026: Alka Yagnik walks with helpers’ support, touches PM Modi’s feet; Rohit Sharma, Mammootty, R Madhavan honoured

President Droupadi Murmu conferred the Padma Awards today, June 23, at Rashtrapati Bhavan. A total of 65 individuals are being felicitated at this second ceremony, comprising 2 Padma Vibhushan, 7 Padma Bhushan and 56 Padma Shri awards. Earlier, 66 people were honoured with Padma Awards during the first ceremony held on May 26.

Mammootty conferred with the Padma Bhushan

Veteran South Indian actor Mammootty arrived in New Delhi on Tuesday morning accompanied by his family. He was seen with his son, the famous actor Dulquer Salmaan. When the superstar received the Padma Bhushan, Mammootty’s wife Sulfath and daughter Surumi were also present.

Mammootty has starred in more than 400 films across various languages over a period of more than five decades. In addition to being an actor, he is also involved in several social and charitable causes. Commenting on this development, the actor expressed his feelings openly. According to Mathrubhumi News, Mammootty remarked, “There is nothing greater than the honour from the nation.”

Dressed in a Nehru jacket and pant Mammoothy recived his award.

R Madhavan receives Padma Shri

R. Madhavan was also honored with the Padma Shri by President Droupadi Murmu.

Satish Shah was conferred the Padma Shri posthumously. One of India’s most loved and respected actors across theatre, television and cinema, he was widely known for his versatility and impeccable comic timing. Over a career spanning more than four decades, he featured in numerous films and several iconic television shows, leaving behind a lasting legacy in Indian entertainment.

His brother Arvind Shah received the award on the late actor’s behalf.

Gadde Babu Rajendra Prasad honored with Padma Shri

Veteran Telugu actor Gadde Babu Rajendra Prasad received the Padma Shri at the second Civil Investiture Ceremony at Rashtrapati Bhavan.

Alka Yagnik conferred with Padma Bhushan

Singer Alka Yagnik was conferred with the Padma Bhushan by President Droupadi Murmu. She looked stunning in a beige traditional outfit.

Netizens were left concerned after seeing Alka Yagnik struggling to walk and needing a helper to support her. A clip that is doing the rounds shows Alka Yagnik coming to receive her award and being held by helpers; she then touched PM Modi’s feet and went upstairs to receive the honour. When the President told her something, she didn’t react or answer but only smiled at the camera.

A user asked, “Is she okay? Why is she being held like that by the security?”

Back in March, when asked who first broke the news of her Padma Bhushan, Alka Yagnik told NDTV, “My daughter told me. I am very happy to hear it. I would like to thank Bharat Sarkar for considering me for this honour.”

In 2024, Alka Yagnik publicly revealed her rare hearing disorder through an Instagram post.

An excerpt from her detailed post read: “It has been diagnosed by my doctors as a rare sensory neural hearing loss due to a viral attack. This sudden, major setback caught me completely unaware. As I attempt to come to terms with it, please keep me in your prayers.”

Her voice was last heard in Amar Singh Chamkila, directed by Imtiaz Ali, where she sang Naram Kaalja, composed by A. R. Rahman.

Achievements

Alka Yagnik holds many records to her credit. She has sung the maximum number of female solo songs in her Bollywood career, alongside Lata Mangeshkar and Asha Bhosle.

Several of her soundtracks were included in the BBC’s “Top 40 Bollywood Soundtracks of All Time.”

She was recognised in the Guinness World Records for 17 billion YouTube streams in 2021 and 16.6 billion streams in 2020.

Including two National Film Awards, Alka Yagnik has won two Bengal Film Journalists’ Association Awards and seven Filmfare Awards for Best Female Playback Singer.

Trained in classical music, Alka Yagnik began singing at the age of four. She dominated the playback scene in the Hindi film industry for more than four decades.

Some of her all-time hits include Chori Chori Chupke Chupke, Aaye Ho Meri Zindagi Mein, Gali Mein Aaj Chaand Nikla and Tu Shayar Hai Main Teri Shayari, among many others.

Rohit Sharma awarded Padma Shri for contributions to Indian cricket

Rohit Sharma was also conferred with the award; he was dressed in a black band gala outfit and greeted PM Modi.

Under Sharma’s captaincy, India’s men’s cricket team won the ICC T20 World Cup 2024 held in Barbados and the Champions Trophy 2025 in Dubai. Sharma is recognised as one of the most prolific batters in One Day International cricket, accumulating 11,720 runs in 285 matches with an average of 48.83 and a strike rate of 92.97. He holds multiple world records, including the highest individual ODI score of 264 and three double centuries.

Sharma made his Test debut in 2013 and went on to play 67 matches, scoring 4,301 runs. His red-ball career includes 12 centuries and 18 half-centuries, with a highest score of 212 against South Africa in 2019.

In Twenty20 Internationals, Rohit debuted in 2007 and scored 4,231 runs in 159 matches. He was the leading run-scorer in the format until 2024 and has won two T20 World Cups, one as a player in 2007 and another as captain in 2024.