Padma Awards 2025: Ajith Kumar, Ravichandran Ashwin Among 139 Honored with India’s Highest Civilian Awards
The Padma Awards 2025 celebrated 139 luminaries for their extraordinary contributions across diverse fields, including arts, sports, literature, and medicine. Among the notable recipients are Tamil cinema icon S. Ajith Kumar, legendary ghazal singer Pankaj Udhas, and ace cricketer Ravichandran Ashwin, recognized during a grand ceremony at Rashtrapati Bhavan.
By our correspondent, New Delhi:
Celebrating Excellence Across Fields
The Padma Awards, India’s prestigious civilian honors, recognize outstanding achievements in areas such as arts, sports, social service, and public affairs. Conferred in three categories—Padma Vibhushan, Padma Bhushan, and Padma Shri—the awards were presented by President Droupadi Murmu in the presence of Vice President Jagdeep Dhankhar, Prime Minister Narendra Modi, and Union Home Minister Amit Shah. This year’s 139 awardees reflect India’s rich talent pool and dedication to national progress.
Padma Vibhushan: Pioneers of Impact
The Padma Vibhushan, the highest tier, was awarded to luminaries like Dr. Duvvur Nageshwar Reddy for his groundbreaking work in gastroenterology, violinist Dr. Lakshminarayana Subramaniam for his global contributions to Indian classical music, and posthumously to Malayalam literary giant M. T. Vasudevan Nair and former Suzuki Motor Corporation chairman Osamu Suzuki for their transformative work in literature and the automotive industry, respectively.
Padma Bhushan: Icons of Art and Service
The Padma Bhushan honored Tamil actor S. Ajith Kumar for his cinematic brilliance, ghazal maestro Pankaj Udhas for preserving the art of ghazals, and journalist-academician A. Surya Prakash for his contributions to journalism. Other recipients include Kannada cinema veteran Anant Nag and Kerala-based medical expert Jose Chacko Periappuram, alongside notable figures like Bibek Debroy and Sadhvi Ritambhara.
Padma Shri: Grassroots to Global Heroes
The Padma Shri, with 113 recipients, celebrated diverse talents, including playback singer Arijit Singh for his soulful Bollywood hits, cricketer Ravichandran Ashwin for his stellar spin bowling, and environmental music composer Ricky Kej for promoting sustainability through music. Other awardees include Gujarati poet Tushar Durgeshbhai Shukla, Vedic scholar Ganeshwar Shastri Dravid, and Urdu scholar Syed Ainul Hasan, reflecting the awards’ broad recognition of excellence.
Inspiring a Nation
The Padma Awards 2025 not only honor individual brilliance but also inspire future generations to contribute to India’s growth. From unsung heroes to global icons, the awardees embody dedication and innovation, reinforcing the awards’ role as a beacon of motivation for societal progress.
