The prestigious Padma Awards ceremony was recently held at Rashtrapati Bhavan, where notable personalities from various fields were recognized for their outstanding contributions. It was a proud moment for fans of Telugu and Tamil cinema as beloved stars Nandamuri Balakrishna and Ajith Kumar were honored with the Padma Bhushan, one of India’s highest civilian awards.
Alongside Balakrishna and Ajith, several prominent figures from the entertainment industry received Padma Awards from President Droupadi Murmu, celebrating excellence across music, cinema, and the arts.
Here’s a look at the entertainment personalities who were honored:
- Ajith Kumar – Padma Bhushan (Actor)
- Nandamuri Balakrishna – Padma Bhushan (Actor)
- Pankaj Udhas (Posthumous) – Padma Bhushan (Singer)
- Shekhar Kapur – Padma Bhushan (Filmmaker)
- Anant Nag – Padma Bhushan (Actor)
- Ashok Laxman Saraf – Padma Shri (Actor)
- Barry John – Padma Shri (Acting coach and Theatre Director)
- Jaspinder Narula – Padma Shri (Singer)
- Ashwini Bhide-Deshpande – Padma Shri (Classical Vocalist)
- Ricky Kej – Padma Shri (Music Composer)
- Bheru Singh Chouhan – Padma Shri (Folk Singer)
- Harjinder Singh Srinagar Wale – Padma Shri (Devotional Singer)
- Joynacharan Bathari – Padma Shri (Folk Musician)
- K. Omanakutty Amma – Padma Shri (Classical Singer)
- Mahabir Nayak – Padma Shri (Singer)
- Mamata Shankar – Padma Shri (Actor)
- Arijit Singh – Padma Shri (Singer)
The Padma Awards are announced every year on the eve of Republic Day, recognizing exceptional service in fields such as arts, literature, education, medicine, social work, public affairs, and more.
Fans of Balakrishna and Ajith are overjoyed, flooding social media with heartfelt posts, pictures, and videos celebrating their favorite stars’ remarkable achievements.
