Honoring Legends: Padma Awards Celebrate Icons of Indian Arts

The Padma Awards ceremony spotlighted 131 distinguished individuals for their outstanding contributions to the arts. Among the awardees were veteran Bollywood actor Dharmendra, posthumously recognized with the Padma Vibhushan for his legendary six-decade career, along with renowned singer Alka Yagnik, who received the Padma Bhushan.

The ceremony also celebrated the achievements of Malayalam superstar Mammootty and actor Prosenjit Chatterjee, who were awarded the Padma Bhushan and Padma Shri, respectively. Their contributions over several decades have made a significant impact in Malayalam and Bengali cinema.

Rounding out the list of honored actors was R Madhavan, acknowledged with the Padma Shri for his diverse work across Hindi, Tamil, and international films. The awards, one of India's highest civilian honors, are part of an annual tradition held on the eve of Republic Day.