She was among the select sportspersons honoured this year, alongside India men\u2019s captain Rohit Sharma, making them the only two cricketers to receive the award in the 2026 list.<\/p>\r\n\r\n
The honour was presented during the first Civil Investiture Ceremony held at Rashtrapati Bhavan, where President Murmu conferred Padma awards across categories, including Padma Vibhushan, Padma Bhushan, and Padma Shri. In total, 131 Padma Awards were approved for 2026, with additional recipients to be felicitated in a subsequent phase.<\/p>\r\n\r\n
Harmanpreet attended the ceremony in a cream-coloured traditional outfit as she received the prestigious civilian honour.<\/p>\r\n\r\n
Her recognition comes after a decorated international career in which she led India through multiple ICC tournaments and ultimately captained the side to a landmark ODI World Cup victory in 2025, where India defeated South Africa in the final to claim their maiden title. The triumph marked a defining moment in her fifth World Cup appearance, ending years of near misses on the global stage.<\/p>\r\n\r\n
Earlier, when the list of awardees was announced, Harmanpreet expressed her gratitude in a video shared by her Women\u2019s Premier League (WPL) team Mumbai Indians, describing the moment as deeply significant for her family.<\/p>\r\n\r\n
Her recognition comes after a decorated international career in which she led India through multiple ICC tournaments and ultimately captained the side to a landmark ODI World Cup victory in 2025, where India defeated South Africa in the final to claim their maiden title. The triumph marked a defining moment in her fifth World Cup appearance, ending years of near misses on the global stage.<\/p>\r\n\r\n
She also acknowledged Rohit Sharma\u2019s inclusion in the honours list, adding, \u201cMany many congratulations to [Rohit] also. We have seen how, you know, he has been really working hard and I think it's a great moment for him.\u201d<\/p>\r\n\r\n