Key Points
- Civilian Honors Bestowed: President Droupadi Murmu formally presented the Padma Shri, India’s fourth-highest civilian honor, to multiple sporting icons following the initial list announcement in January.
- Harmanpreet Kaur Recognized: The Indian women’s cricket skipper was honored for her trailblazing leadership, which included guiding India to a historic World Cup triumph.
- Paralympic Icon Honored: Para high jumper Praveen Kumar received his medal following a stellar podium run, including a gold medal at the Paris Paralympics.
- Full Sports Contingent: The investiture ceremony highlighted nine sports personalities, including an elite Padma Bhushan for tennis legend Vijay Amritraj.
A distinguished contingent of Indian athletes and coaches gathered at the Rashtrapati Bhavan on Monday as President Droupadi Murmu hosted the formal civil investiture ceremony. The event marked the culmination of the selection process initiated in January, during which the central government finalized an elite list of sports personalities for their exceptional contributions to the nation’s sporting landscape.
Among the awardees, the presentation of the Padma Shri to women’s cricket team captain Harmanpreet Kaur and para athlete Praveen Kumar highlighted the government’s focus on recognizing diverse sporting achievements across both mainstream and parasports ecosystems.
OFFICIAL SPORTS PADMA AWARDS LIST
| Recipient | Conferred Decoration |
|---|---|
| Vijay Amritraj | Padma Bhushan (Tennis / Admin) |
| Rohit Sharma | Padma Shri (Cricket) |
| Harmanpreet Kaur | Padma Shri (Cricket) |
| Praveen Kumar | Padma Shri (Para Athletics) |
| Savita Punia | Padma Shri (Hockey) |
| Baldev Singh | Padma Shri (Hockey / Coaching) |
| Vladimir Mestvirishvili | Padma Shri (Wrestling / Posthumous) |
| Bhagwandas Raikwar | Padma Shri (Traditional Sports) |
| K. Padma Awards Nominee | Padma Shri (Regional Sports Promotion) |
Harmanpreet Kaur: A Historic Captaincy and Career
Harmanpreet Kaur’s investiture celebrates a legacy of leadership that fundamentally transformed Indian women’s cricket. Kaur created history by becoming the first female captain to guide India to a major World Cup trophy, cementing her status as an iconic figure in modern cricket.
Reflecting on the honor in an interview shared by her franchise, the Mumbai Indians, Kaur revealed a personal moment, stating that officials from Rashtrapati Bhavan had reached out to her father directly to break the news. She noted her immense pride that her parents were able to celebrate the milestone before she even received the official brief. Kaur also extended her congratulations to men’s captain Rohit Sharma, who was also named in the civilian honors list, describing it as a magnificent moment for Indian cricket as a whole.
Praveen Kumar: A Legacy of Paralympic Excellence
Hailing from Govindgarh in Uttar Pradesh, para high jumper Praveen Kumar has built one of the most decorated track and field careers in Indian Paralympic history. An alumnus of Motilal Nehru College at Delhi University, Kumar has consistently performed at the absolute highest tiers of international para athletics.
His sporting journey reached a peak at the Paris Paralympics, where he secured a gold medal in the competitive High Jump T64 classification. This victory followed his breakthrough silver medal performance at the Tokyo Paralympics. Kumar’s international resume is further reinforced by a gold medal win at the Asian Para Games in Hangzhou and a bronze medal finish at the World Championships.
Full Breakdown of Sporting Honors Conferred
The sports roster for this investiture cycle featured a stellar lineup of athletes, coaches, and administrators who have driven India’s global medal tallies across multiple disciplines.
Coaching Legacy Recognized: Notably, the list features a posthumous Padma Shri for legendary wrestling coach Vladimir Mestvirishvili. The Georgian-born coach is widely credited with redefining India’s freestyle wrestling program, directly coaching icons like Olympic medalists Sushil Kumar and Yogeshwar Dutt, making his inclusion a deeply respected decision across the sports community.
