India honoured 65 of its finest on June 23. A scientist whose missile struck targets in a real war. A singer who gave India its greatest songs — and then lost her own hearing. A man who grew up in a cobbler's home and built a world-class company from scratch. President Droupadi Murmu conferred the Padma Awards 2026 at Rashtrapati Bhavan — and not one name on that list came without a price. Some fought battles. Some defied fate. And some simply refused to give up.
Two Names. The Rarest Honour India Can Give
Out of 1.4 billion Indians, only two received the Padma Vibhushan 2026 — the highest tier of the award. Justice (retd.) K.T. Thomas received it for a lifetime of service in Public Affairs. Veteran Malayalam journalist P. Narayanan received it for Literature and Education. Two names. Two extraordinary lives. But the Padma Bhushan list had seven more — and one of them had not been able to hear her own name being called for years.
Source: Deccan Herald
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She Lost Her Voice's Greatest Gift. India Still Remembered
Singer Alka Yagnik — who recently revealed she lost most of her hearing — walked up to receive the Padma Bhushan 2026. Alongside her stood Malayalam superstar Mammootty, tennis legend Vijay Amritraj, industrialist S.K.M. Maeilanandhan, social worker Vellappally Natesan, and US-based cancer specialist Dr. Dattatreyudu Nori. JMM founder and former Union Minister Shibu Soren received it after his death. Seven different fields. Seven extraordinary stories. But the Padma Shri 2026 list was about to throw the biggest surprise of the night.
The awardees represented a wide range of fields, including cinema, music, sports, business, medicine, and public service. However, the biggest surprise of the Padma Awards 2026 was yet to come — and it appeared in the Padma Shri list.
A War Missile. A World Cup. A Cobbler's Son. All in One List
Cricketer Rohit Sharma and hockey player Savita Punia received the Padma Shri 2026 for Sports. Actor R. Madhavan and the late Satish Shah were honoured for Cinema.
But the most unexpected name? Scientist Chandramouli Gaddamanugu — the man who led the Akash Missile system during Operation Sindoor. His award was more than a personal honour. It also reflected the country's recognition of its defence and scientific achievements.
Source: Reddit
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65 Awards. One Stage. A Nation That Finally Said Thank You
The second Civil Investiture Ceremony ended with the presentation of 65 Padma Awards in 2026. The honours included 2 Padma Vibhushan, 7 Padma Bhushan, and 56 Padma Shri awards.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi, Vice President Jagdeep Dhankhar, and Home Minister Amit Shah attended the event. From artists and athletes to scientists and social workers, the awardees reflected the people whose contributions shaped the nation.
India did not just hand out awards that evening. It looked its unsung heroes in the eye and said — we saw you. We always did.