President Murmu to confer 65 Padma Awards at second Civil Investiture Ceremony

President Droupadi Murmu will confer 65 Padma Awards during the second Civil Investiture Ceremony at Rashtrapati Bhavan in New Delhi on Tuesday, June 23. The honours include two Padma Vibhushan awards, seven Padma Bhushan awards and 56 Padma Shri awards.

Among the recipients is Dr Padma Gurmet, Director of the National Institute of Sowa-Rigpa, who is being recognised for his contribution to preserving and promoting the Himalayan medical tradition. Calling the honour a significant milestone, Gurmet said the recognition was not only for him but also for the wider Sowa-Rigpa community.

“It feels wonderful,” he said, adding that receiving the award as someone from a remote part of Ladakh was “a great achievement” for the traditional medical system and its practitioners.

Another Padma Shri recipient, Dr Prabhakar Basaprabhu Kore, Chairman of the Karnataka Lingayat Education Society, is being honoured for his contributions to education, healthcare and rural development.

Reflecting on his work, Kore said he had spent more than four decades expanding access to education in rural areas. He noted that his organisation runs nearly 320 schools and colleges, including technical institutions and a technical university, serving around 1.48 lakh students.

Kore also highlighted the healthcare services operated by the organisation, which include rural medical centres, satellite facilities and a hospital with over 5,000 beds. According to him, 1,200 of those beds have been reserved for free treatment of underprivileged patients.

Beyond education and healthcare, Kore said he has also worked extensively in the cooperative sector. “There are more than 40,000 members, and it is one of the best cooperative factories in Karnataka,” he said while speaking about a sugar factory he founded.

Haematologist Dr Suresh Hanagavadi, who has dedicated four decades to treating haemophilia patients, will also receive the Padma Shri. Living with the condition himself, Hanagavadi said his personal experience motivated him to pursue medicine and support others affected by the disorder.

“I am truly very grateful to the Government of India and Prime Minister Narendra Modi for recognising my 40 years of commitment in this field,” he said. He dedicated the award to “all my blood brothers, my haemophilia family”, and those who supported his work over the years.

The first Civil Investiture Ceremony for the Padma Awards 2026 was held on May 26, during which President Murmu conferred 66 awards on distinguished individuals from various fields.