Kolkata, May 18, 2026

President of India, Smt Droupadi Murmu will be presenting Padma Vibhushan, Padma Bhushan and Padma Shri Awards for the year at the Civil Investiture Ceremony-1 to be held at Rashtrapati Bhavan on May 25, this year. Eleven eminent personalities from West Bengal from various spheres of life will be receiving prestigious Padma Shri from the State. They are tabla maestro Shri Kumar Bose, film icon Shri Prosenjit Chatterjee, Cardiologist Dr Saroj Mandal, Kantha Stitch artist, Smt Tripti Mukherjee, legendary theatre Director, Playwright and actor Shri Hari Madhab Mukhopadhyay, distinguished Botanist, Educationist & Environmentalist Prof. Gambhir Singh Yonzone, Shri Ashok Kumar Haldar, Educationist & Litterateur, Shri Jyotish Debnath for his acumen in the art of making finest Muslin Jamdani, noted Chemistry Professor of North Bengal, Shri Mahendra Nath Roy, eminent Santali author Shri Rabilal Tudu and Shri Tarun Bhattacharya, renowned santoor virtuoso . On January 25, the Centre announced the names of the awardees who will be receiving Padma Vibhushan, Padma Bhushan and Padma Shri. For the year 2026, the President has approved conferment of 131 Padma Awards including two duo cases (in a duo case, the Award is counted as one). The list comprises five Padma Vibhushan, 13 Padma Bhushan and 113 Padma Shri Awards. Nineteen of the awardees are women and the list also includes six persons from the category of foreigners / NRI / PIO / OCI and 16 posthumous awardees.

Shri Kumar Bose, the renowned table exponent has been a highly sought-after accompanist to many of India’s most eminent vocalists and instrumentalists, contributing with rare sensitivity and authority to performances across the globe. His accompaniment is distinguished by melodic imagination, tonal richness, and an intuitive understanding of raga   and layakari, earning him recognition as a musician’s musician. His solo performances are equally celebrated for their intellectual depth, powerful compositional structures, and mastery over traditional forms such as Peshkar, kayda, rela,gat, and tukra. Shri Bose’s quiet dignity, ethical integrity, and unwavering commitment to classical values have earned him Top Grade status in All India Radio, the Sangeet Natak Akademi Puraskar, and the Pandit Dinanath Mangeshkar Award, along with immense respect within the artistic community.

The undisputed icon of Bengali cinema now, Shri Prosenjit Chatterjee, affectionately termed as Bumbada has over 400 films to his credit and his journey in celluloid reflects constant evolution, discipline, and creative courage. Today, he stands not only as a celebrated actor but as an institution in Bengali cinema—an enduring symbol of dedication, reinvention, and cinematic excellence whose legacy continues to inspire generations. He portrayed memorable roles in Jubilee, Shesh Pata, Devi Chowdhurani, Gumnaami, Jyeshthoputro, Chokher Bali, Swapner Din, Saasurbari Zindabad, Autograph, Jalsaghar, Dosar, Moner Manush, Baishe Srabon, Jaatishwar, Shankhachil, and Mayurakshi.

Professor (Dr) Saroj Mandal is a visionary healthcare leader, he founded Krishnaya Institute Cardiac & Fetal Sciences (KICFS) in Kolkata in 2022, offering subsidised cardiac care accessible and affordable to thousands. He donated his remuneration to the hospital's welfare trust, ensuring every penny serves the underserved. His philanthropy extends to Nepalgunj Pailan Kolkata, where he's establishing a community-based cardiovascular unit, this initiative, built on his decade-long service through hundreds of free medical camps, is a model for public health innovation. He spearheaded the Tele Cardiology STEMI Programme in West Bengal, delivering timely cardiac interventions to thousands of rural hearts. He contributed to drafting Hypertension and Type II Diabetes Protocols for the Government of West Bengal and Emergency Cardiology Management Guidelines. He has served over 600,000 patients in OPD over 35 years, and independently performed and supervised 50,000 coronary angiograms, 15,000 angioplasties, 15,000 pacemaker device implantations and 5000 valve micro-surgery procedures.

Smt. Tripti Mukherjee has created income opportunities for rural women with the help of her knowledge. She has taught many batches of women helping them start their own sewing work. She has set up a training center in Suri where she teaches the local marginalized women the art of kantha stitch saree embroidery and making various types of wall hangings bed sheets stoles and dupattas. By showcasing their handicrafts in various government sponsored exhibitions and melas they can even make money as and when their products are sold. In February 2017, Smt. Mukherjee visited Birmingham, U.K to represent West Bengal. This project was sponsored by the Government of India. Along with showcasing her own work she also demonstrated how the art is done for the participants. This initiative was highly applauded in Birmingham. This added one more feather to her cap. She visited Tokyo, Japan to represent India for live demonstration and promotion of Indian handicrafts. This project was organized by Export Promotion Council for Handicrafts, Ministry of Textiles, Government of India at 14th India Trend fair from 23 July to 25 July 2025. There she achieved the certificate from Embassy of India, Tokyo Japan. Last year, she presented as a resource person for Interaction with Hon'ble Prime Minister of India Shri Narendra Modi at the event of Craft Demonstration Cum Awareness Programme Bharat TEX 2025, at Bharat Mandapam, Pragati Maidan, New Delhi.

Shri Hari Madhab Mukhopadhyay’s life had been a true testimony of what herculean persistence, unwavering dedication and fierce commitment to one’s passion can accomplish despite the toughest of odds and infrastructural constraints. Though attracted to the magic of performative aits since his childhood, tryst with serious theatre eventually blossomed during his student and professional life in Kolkata from 1958 to 1967. He had experienced the pioneering works of the doyens of Bengali Theatre like Shri Sambhu Mitra, Shri Bijan Bhattacharya, Shri Utpal Dutt, Shri Ajitesh Bandyopadhyay among many others. Shri Mukhopadhyay directed and acted in over sixty productions for Triteertha. Notable among them were Natyakarer Sandhane Chhati Charitra, Teen Biggani, Manjari Aamer Manjari, Bhangapat, Debi Garjan, Galileo, Jwal, Debangshi, Bichhan (Hindi), Mantrasakti, Patrasuddhi, Matritantrik, Pimama, Raktakarabi and many more. These productions of diverse genres, staged multiple times across West Bengal and beyond in cities like New Delhi, Lucknow, Varanasi, Patna garnered widespread critical acclaim and firmly cemented Shri Mukhopadhyay’s stature as a theatre director/actor to reckon with.

Professor Gambhir Singh Yonzone from Kalimpong rose from modest rural beginnings to achieve international academic distinction, with academic engagements in the United Kingdom, United States, France and Argentina. Over a remarkable career spanning more than five decades, he became the first hill scholar of Darjeeling to serve as Head of the Undergraduate and Postgraduate Department of Botany at Darjeeling Government College, Principal of Kalimpong College, Chairman of the West Bengal School Service Commission (Hill Region), Fulbright Senior Research Fellow and Visiting Professor at The Ohio State University (USA), and Visitor Scientist in the United Kingdom. He has also served as a Founder Member of the Academic Council of Sikkim Central University and held memberships and fellowships in several prestigious national and international scientific bodies. A passionate advocate of scientific temper and environmental awareness, he led a six-year conservation movement (1978-1984) that successfully halted large-scale destruction of virgin hill forests by the West Bengal Forest Corporation, and he played a key role in the establishment of Singalila and Neora Valley National Parks.

Shri Ashok Kumar Haldar a former railway guard from Malda is a recognised Dalit writer who has to his credit 13 books, eight in English and five in Bengali. His book, "The Radical Change of Human Society and Its Scientific Observation," published in 2017, received special recognition. He had also sent a copy of this book to former President Pranab Mukherjee, after which he was invited to Rashtrapati Bhavan (the President's official residence). His journey from a simple railway worker to a nationally recognised writer is an inspiration to millions today.

Prof. Mahendra Nath Roy a professor of chemistry and former Dean of the Faculties of Sciences and Arts, University of North Bengal had done research in the areas of Host-Guest Inclusion Complexes, Nano Particles, Solution Thermodynamics, Surfactant and Polymer Chemistry. Prof. Roy supervised 87, Ph.Ds reviewed 55 Ph.D Theses and many referred research papers and authored over 441 research articles and books in Chemistry. He has been awarded as Fellow of the Royal Society of Chemistry (FRSC), London, UK. He has also received the “award of One Time Grant” under basic scientific research” from University Grants Commission, “Prof. Suresh C. Ameta Award” from Indian Chemical Society, “CRSI Bronze Medal 2017” from Chemical Research Society of India and “Shiksha Ratna Award 2018” and so on.

Shri Jyotish Debnath, a master weaver who kept the soul of Jamdani alive, reviving traditions, setting up handlooms, and mentoring thousands represents India’s living heritage. His Muslin & Jamdani artistry preserves Bengal’s centuries‑old textile heritage and inspires generations.

Shri Rabilal Tudu, the acclaimed Santali writer, with three decades of plays, stories, dramas and essays voice the Santali heritage. Over the decades, Tudu’s writings have evolved into a distinctive expression of Santhal social and cultural life, exploring themes of community, tradition, identity, and resilience. Known for his powerful storytelling and dramatic sense, he has preserved narratives and cultural motifs that are rarely documented, keeping them alive through literature and theatre.  Despite being in the banking profession and facing the challenges of limited literary platforms for tribal languages, he continued to write and produce plays, contributing significantly to the growth and recognition of Santali literature.

Last, but not the least, Pandit Tarun Bhattacharya -a direct disciple of Pandit Ravi Shankar, Bhattacharya is hailed round the globe for revolutionising the santoor. He invented the "mankas" (fine tuners) for the santoor, which dramatically improved the instrument's tuning accuracy. He is also credited with introducing the meend (gliding note) technique to the instrument. Alongside the Padma Shri, his illustrious career has been ecognized with the National Tansen Samman (2025) and the Sangeet Natak Akademi Award (2018).

 

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SSS/Kol/18.5.26….

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