Padma Awards 2026: Dharmendra, Satish Shah, Mammootty, Alka Yagnik and other entertainment icons to be honoured in Delhi

India’s prestigious civilian honours are set to recognise several distinguished personalities from the world of cinema, music and theatre at the Padma Awards 2026 ceremony in New Delhi. President Droupadi Murmu will present the awards during the first Civil Investiture Ceremony taking place at Rashtrapati Bhavan on May 25.

This year, the Government of India has announced a total of 131 Padma honours, including five Padma Vibhushan awards, 13 Padma Bhushan honours and 113 Padma Shri recognitions. The awards celebrate exceptional contributions across various fields such as arts, literature, sports, science, medicine and public service.

Late actor Dharmendra to receive Padma Vibhushan

Veteran superstar Dharmendra will be posthumously honoured with the Padma Vibhushan, one of India’s highest civilian awards. The legendary actor remains one of Hindi cinema’s most admired stars, remembered for iconic films like ‘Sholay’, ‘Chupke Chupke’ and ‘Phool Aur Patthar’.



His contribution to Indian cinema spans several decades, with audiences continuing to celebrate his performances and screen presence even today.

Mammootty to be honoured with Padma Bhushan

Malayalam cinema legend Mammootty has been selected for the Padma Bhushan for his immense contribution to Indian films. Known for acclaimed projects such as ‘Oru Vadakkan Veeragatha’, ‘Bramayugam’ and ‘Peranbu’, the actor has worked extensively across Malayalam, Tamil and Hindi cinema.

Interestingly, Mammootty had earlier received the Padma Shri in 1998, making this another major milestone in his celebrated career.

Alka Yagnik recognised for contribution to music

Playback singer Alka Yagnik will receive the Padma Bhushan this year for her remarkable contribution to Indian music and cinema. With countless hit songs across the 1990s and 2000s, Alka remains one of Bollywood’s most beloved voices. Over the years, she has lent her voice to memorable tracks featured in films like ‘Khalnayak’, ‘Dilwale Dulhania Le Jayenge’ and ‘Taal’.

R Madhavan, Prosenjit Chatterjee among Padma Shri honourees

Actor R. Madhavan, fondly called “Maddy” by fans, has been chosen for the Padma Shri. The actor is widely recognised for performances in films such as ‘Rehnaa Hai Terre Dil Mein’, ‘3 Idiots’ and ‘Rocketry: The Nambi Effect’. He had also received a National Award for ‘Rocketry’ in 2023.

Bengali cinema superstar Prosenjit Chatterjee will also be honoured with the Padma Shri. With a film career spanning nearly five decades and more than 350 movies to his credit, Prosenjit remains one of the biggest names in Bengali cinema.

Theatre veterans and TV faces also Honoured

Veteran actor and theatre personality Anil Kumar Rastogi has been selected for the Padma Shri for his contribution to theatre, cinema and academia. He is known for films like ‘Ishaqzaade’, ‘Mulk’ and ‘Thappad’. Actor-director Arvind Vaidya is another recipient of the Padma Shri this year. With a career spanning over six decades in theatre and films, he is currently recognised by television audiences for playing Hasmukh “Babuji” Shah in the popular show ‘Anupamaa’.

Late Satish Shah to be honoured posthumously

Late actor Satish Shah will receive the Padma Shri posthumously. Famous for his impeccable comic timing, Satish Shah became a household name through television classics like ‘Sarabhai vs Sarabhai’, ‘Yeh Jo Hai Zindagi’ and ‘FIR’.

Apart from television, he also featured in popular Bollywood films including ‘Main Hoon Na’, ‘Hum Aapke Hain Koun..!’ and ‘Mujhse Shaadi Karogi’.