Vijay Amritraj Receives Padma Bhushan for Tennis Legacy

Indian tennis legend Vijay Amritraj was conferred the prestigious Padma Bhushan by Droupadi Murmu during the second Civil Investiture Ceremony at Rashtrapati Bhavan on Tuesday.

Recognized for his immense contribution to Indian tennis, global sports diplomacy, and humanitarian work, Amritraj was among 65 distinguished personalities honored this year. The 72-year-old became the only sportsperson to receive India's third-highest civilian award, the Padma Bhushan, in 2026.

#PadmaAwards 🏅

Tennis legend Vijay Amritraj conferred with the #PadmaBhushan by President Droupadi Murmu.

A trailblazer of Asian tennis, captured 16 ATP titles (Asian record), held Asia No. 1 for 14 years, and became a broadcaster.#PeoplesPadma2026 #PadmaAwards2026… pic.twitter.com/c6MjUkNPoy

— PIB India (@PIB_India) June 23, 2026

A stalwart of Indian tennis, Amritraj won 16 singles and 13 doubles titles on the ATP Tour. He reached the quarter-finals of both Wimbledon Championships and the US Open and played a pivotal role in India's Davis Cup campaigns during the 1970s and 1980s.

Following his retirement from professional tennis, Amritraj built a distinguished career as a broadcaster, actor, philanthropist, and humanitarian. His earlier honors include the Arjuna Award in 1974 and the Padma Shri in 1983.

Among other sporting personalities recognized in the Padma Awards 2026 were Indian cricket stars Rohit Sharma and Harmanpreet Kaur, who were conferred the Padma Shri.