Kolkata, May 25, 2026

 

The President of India, Smt Droupadi Murmu, today conferred the Padma Awards 2026 to six renowned pesonalities of the country at the first Civil Investiture Ceremony held at Rashtrapati Bhavan at New Delhi. During the ceremony, the President presented 2 Padma Vibhushan, 6 Padma Bhushan and 58 Padma Shri Awards to distinguished personalities from diverse fields for their exceptional contribution for the development of  the country.

Among those honoured in the first phase of the ceremony were six eminent personalities from West Bengal, recognised for their outstanding achievements in the fields of art, literature, education, medicine, culture and social service.

In fact for the year 2026, the President approved conferment of a total of 131 Padma Awards, including five Padma Vibhushan, 13 Padma Bhushan and 113 Padma Shri Awards. Among the Padma Shri awardees, 11 belong to West Bengal. Today six of them were honoured. The remaining recipients will be honoured during the second phase of the Civil Investiture Ceremony later this year.

Among the recipients from West Bengal today one lady was there-Smt Tripti Mukherjee from Birbhum.

Smt Tripti Mukherjee hails in the arena of folk art & women entrepreneurship in the form of Kantha Embroidery.Through her work and free training initiatives, she has positively impacted the lives of more than 20,000 local women, helping preserve Bengal’s rich Kantha heritage while promoting self-reliance and livelihood generation.

In the field of Mediicine, Dr Saroj Mandal was conferred Padma Shri today.

Eminent Cardiologist, Dr Saroj Mandal, associated with a leading multi-speciality hospital in Kolkata, was also known for his expertise in handling complex cardiac cases with empathy and precision. Dr Mandal specialises in Cardiac Imaging, Cardiac Catheterisation, Coronary Arteriography and Interventions, besides extensive experience in implantation of pacemakers and other cardiac devices.

Shri Hari Madhab Mukhopadhyay a theatre doyen from West Bengal was also awarded with Padma Shri, posthumously. 

Late Shri Hari Madhab Mukhopadhyay, a distinguished theatre personality and theatre activist from North Bengal, had been honoured for his contribution to theatre and cultural movements. He was widely respected for producing acclaimed plays such as Teen Bigyani and Galileo, which enriched Bengali theatre and social consciousness.

Shri Gambhir Singh Yonzone a distinguished figure from Kalimpong in literature, environment protection and education
was awarded the Padma Shri for his lifelong contribution towards education, environmental conservation and social upliftment in the Darjeeling Hills. He played a significant role in strengthening higher education in the region by improving academic infrastructure, establishing libraries, promoting research on natural resources and environmental conservation and encouraging scientific awareness among children. He also created support mechanisms for economically disadvantaged meritorious students to ensure access to quality education.

In the field of Bengali cinema, Shri Prosenjit Chatterjee was honoured today woth Padma Shri
for his immense contribution to Indian cinema and the Bengali film industry over several decades.

Shri Kumar Bose, the celebrated Tabla maestro and composer of Indian classical music Shri Kumar Bose was also conferred the Padma Shri 2026 today in the field of Art & Culture. 

One of the most respected contemporary tabla players and a leading exponent of the Benaras Gharana, Shri Bose has made remarkable contributions to Indian classical music through performance, composition and mentorship.

The Padma Awards, among the country’s highest civilian honours, are conferred annually in the categories of Padma Vibhushan, Padma Bhushan and Padma Shri to recognise distinguished and exceptional service in various fields including art, literature, education, medicine, social work, science and public affairs.

 

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