Former CJI Khehar, dancer Shobana Chandrakumar, actor Anant Nag among those conferred with Padma awards
Former Chief Justice of India Jagdish Singh Khehar, dancer Shobana Chandrakumar, actor Anant Nag, footballer I M. Vijayan, music composer Ricky Kej and Vice Chancellor of prestigious King George's Medical University Soniya Nityanand were among 68 eminent personalities who were honoured with the prestigious Padma awards by President Droupadi Murmu on Tuesday (May 27, 2025).
Also read | Full list of Padma Awards 2025
Vice President Jagdeep Dhankhar, Prime Minister Narendra Modi, Union Home Minister Amit Shah were among those who attended the second civil investiture ceremony in Rashtrapati Bhavan. On April 28, during the first investiture ceremony, 71 personalities were conferred with Padma awards. A total of 139 distinguished persons were named for the country's civilian awards.
Justice (retd) Khehar was awarded Padma Vibhushan, India's second highest civilian award. Late legendary folk singer Sharda Sinha and late Kathak dancer Kumudini Rajnikant Lakhia were conferred Padma Vibhushan posthumously. Lakhia's grandson and Sinha's son received the awards.
Nine Padma Bhushan, the third highest civilian award, were given to noted personalities which included dancer and actor Shobana Chandrakumar, businessman Nalli Kuppuswami Chetti, archaeologist Kailash Nath Dikshit, Satteiah dance exponent Jatin Goswami, actor Anant Nag, and Sadhvi Ritambhara.
The posthumous award for economist Bibek Debroy and former Maharashtra CM and Lok Sabha Speaker Manohar Joshi were received by the economist's wife and former CM's son.
Leading immunologist and KGMU VC Nityanand, footballer I.M. Vijayan, singer Ashwini Bhide Deshpande, actor Ashok Laxman Saraf, mask maker Reba Kanta Mahanta, musician Ricky Gyan Kej, theatre personality Barry John, dance choreographer Mamata Shankar Ghosh were among the recipients for Padma Shri.
Noted parai player Velu Aasan, businessman Sajjan Bhajanka, Dr. Neerja Bhatla, scientist Ajay V. Bhatt, writer Sant Ram Deswal, spiritual leader Acharya Jonas Mejetti, and Farooq Ahmad Mir were among the other Padma Shri awardees.
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