President Droupadi Murmu conferred the Padma Shri award on Indian men’s cricketer Rohit Sharma at the second Civil Investiture Ceremony this evening at Rashtrapati Bhawan in New Delhi. Tennis great Vijay Amritraj was conferred with the Padma Bhushan.
A former captain who led the team to the 2024 T20 World Cup and 2025 Champions Trophy, Rohit is considered one of the greatest cricketers to have played for India. A white-ball giant, he has hit over 20,000 international runs for the country, with 50 centuries.
Watch the video of Rohit accepting the award here:
#WATCH | Delhi | Former Captain of the Indian Cricket Team, Rohit Sharma, awarded the Padma Shri by President Droupadi Murmu
(Video source: Rashtrapati Bhavan) pic.twitter.com/ckz1kc4poF
— ANI
(@ANI) June 23, 2026
Meanwhile, Amritraj is a pioneering Indian sports icon whose multifaceted career spans professional tennis, broadcasting, acting, and humanitarian work. On the court, he achieved a career-high singles ranking of World No. 16, won 15 singles and 14 doubles titles on the ATP Tour, and reached the quarterfinals at both Wimbledon and the US Open, while also leading India to two Davis Cup finals in 1974 and 1987.
President Murmu conferred a total of 65 Padma Awards at the ceremony. The honours included two Padma Vibhushan awards, seven Padma Bhushan awards, and 56 Padma Shri awards.
Actor Mammootty and playback singer Alka Yagnik were also among the recipients. The awards formed part of the 131 Padma honours announced by the government on the eve of Republic Day 2026, which included five Padma Vibhushan, 13 Padma Bhushan and 113 Padma Shri awards.
The Padma Awards, among India’s highest civilian honours, are presented in three categories — Padma Vibhushan, Padma Bhushan and Padma Shri. They recognise distinguished service and exceptional achievement across a wide range of fields, including art, literature, education, sports, medicine, social work, science and engineering, public affairs, trade and industry, and civil services.
Instituted in 1954, the Padma Awards are announced annually on the occasion of Republic Day and acknowledge individuals for their outstanding contributions in their respective fields.
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