President Ram Nath Kovind has conferred the prestigious Padma awards for 2018 on 43 prominent personalities at a function in New Delhi. Noted music composer Illaiyaraja, littérateur Shri P Parameswaran and Classical singer Shri Ustad Ghulam Mustafa Khan have been honoured with Padma Vibhushan. Law Professor and jurist Prof. Ved Prakash Nanda, Historian Dr. Ramachandran Nagaswamy, Kerala Bishop Dr Philipose Mar Chrysostom and classical musician Shri Pandit Arvind Parikh received the Padma Bhushan.
Indian Tennis player Somdev Kishore Devvarman, Badminton Player Kidambi Shrikant littérateur and Prof. Digamber Hansda are among the 36 personalities who received Padma Shri. This year, as many as 84 Padma awards were announced. The remaining awardees will be conferred with the honour at another function to be held later.