Daijiworld Media Network - New Delhi
New Delhi, Apr 28: In a grand ceremony at the Rashtrapati Bhavan’s historic Durbar Hall, President Droupadi Murmu on Monday presented the Padma Awards to 71 distinguished individuals, celebrating outstanding achievements across a wide range of fields. The honours comprised four Padma Vibhushan, 10 Padma Bhushan, and 57 Padma Shri awards.
This event marked the first phase of the 2025 Padma Awards presentation.
Among the most notable honourees, celebrated violin maestro L. Subramaniam was conferred the Padma Vibhushan for his extraordinary contribution to the arts. The late Osamu Suzuki, the visionary behind Suzuki Motor Corporation’s global success, was posthumously awarded the Padma Vibhushan, with his son and current CEO Toshihiro Suzuki accepting the award on his behalf.
In the realm of art and entertainment, filmmaker Shekhar Kapur, actor-politician Nandamuri Balakrishna, actor S. Ajith Kumar, and the late legendary singer Pankaj Udhas were honoured with the Padma Bhushan. Farida Udhas received the award on behalf of her late husband, Pankaj Udhas.
Indian hockey legend and current junior team coach P.R. Sreejesh was also awarded the Padma Bhushan for his stellar career and contributions to Indian sports.
The list of Padma Shri awardees included prominent names like playback singer Jaspinder Narula for her contributions to music and Indian cricketer Ravichandran Ashwin for excellence in sports.
Among other honourees, eminent Vedic scholar Ganeshwar Shastri Dravid was recognised for his religious scholarship, notably for determining the auspicious timings for key spiritual milestones like the consecration of Ram Lalla at the Ram Janmabhoomi Temple and the foundation ceremony of the Kashi Vishwanath Corridor.
Stephen Knapp, American author and researcher devoted to spreading awareness about Vedic culture, was honoured with the Padma Shri for his literary and educational contributions.
The Padma Awards are among India’s most prestigious civilian honours, celebrating exceptional service in fields ranging from art and public affairs to science, medicine, social work, literature, and education.