The President of India, Smt. Droupadi Murmu presented Padma Vibhushan, Padma Bhushan and Padma Shri Awards for the year 2026 at the Civil Investiture Ceremony-I held at Rashtrapati Bhavan today (May 25, 2026). Among the dignitaries present on the occasion were Vice President of India Shri C. P. Radhakrishnan, Prime Minister of India Shri Narendra Modi and Union Minister for Home Affairs Shri Amit Shah. 

On this occasion, Shri Taga Ram Bheel, Swami Brahamdev and Shri Gafaruddin Mewati Jogi from Rajasthan were conferred with with the Padma Shri.

A brief account of the life and work of the awardees is given below:

Shri Taga Ram Bheel

1. Shri Taga Ram Bheel, Director and founder of Algoza Folk Music Institute, Moolsagar in Jaisalmer, Rajasthan, is a famous traditional folk music artist. He is maestro of Algoza folk Musical Vertical flutes of Thar Desert. Algoza is made of “seesham” and “kair” dry wood and dual flute which is played by mouth and throat.
 
2. Born on 17th April, 1960, in village Moolsagar, Jaisalmer, Rajasthan, Shri Taga Ram started to learn Algoza at the age of 7 years from his father and himself while grazing cattles in Thar desert. After years and years of training, he got mastery in playing Algoza. One day Akbar Khan Rajdarbari Alamkhana and Late Shambhudan Ratnoo- Public Relation Officer-Jaisalmer came to his home and gave him an opportunity to play Algoza on the Independence Day of India in 1981, at Gopa chowk Jaisalmer. After this mesmerising performance, he got many opportunities to perform before Honourable President of India, Prime Minister and high level guests and tourists from the whole world.
 
3. Shri Taga Ram took training under Ustad Akbar Khan, Ustad Arba Music Institute, Jaisalmer. He received scholarship from Centre for Cultural and Training Resources, New Delhi in 1986. He has performed on the Rajasthan Day, Desert festival, Jaisalmer; Camel Car festival, Bikaner; Pushkar fair, Pushkar; Marwar festival & Jodhpur, Jaipur Shilpgram Mela, Udaipur, Long Rang Mahotsav Jaipur, Drums of India, New Delhi. He toured with the Musafir Group in International folklore festivals. He got invitation to perform in festival in France in 1996 organised by Rajasthan Tourism, Spain, Italy, Germany, Holland, Putugal Japan and Singapore and collaborated with Manuel Aguilar Beseacon France. He has toured with Ustad Arba Music Group in many festivals in USA such as Diwali Mela in Dallas, USA, International Festival in California USA and Catton Bowl Festival, USA in 2014 and 2017.
 
4. Shri Taga Ram is the recipient of numerous, awards/honours and appreciation certificates. He has received Maharawal Girdhar Award in 2013 by Maharawal Girdhar Trust, Jaisalmer; Marudhara Award in 2018 by Marudhara Sansthan, Kolkata; Aadivasi Samman, Rajasthan in 2019; Mahram Shri Sakar Khan Maganiyar award by Kamayacha Sansthan Jaisalmer, Amrit Ganga Award in 2023 by Amrit Gange, Rajasthan, Gaurav Sammen by Bhartiya Dalit Akadamy Rajasthan, and Rajasthan Tourism Department Jaisalmer. He has also received appreciation certificates from Nehru Youth Centre, Jaisalmer, District Magistrate, Jaisalmer; South Zone Cultural Centre, Nagpur; West Zone Culture Centre, Udaipur Arid zone Forest Research Institute, Indian Council for Forestry Research & Education, Dehradun (2022) and Roma Cultural University, Jawahar Kala Kendra Jaipur, RANA Association, USA & Dallas Cultural Centre Texas, USA.

 

Swami Brahamdev

1. Swami Brahamdev is a revered saint, spiritual guide, and visionary social reformer of Sri Ganganagar, Rajasthan. He is widely respected for his lifelong dedication to spirituality, service, and the upliftment of especially-abled children. His divine inspiration and compassionate leadership continue to transform thousands of lives through education, healthcare, and rehabilitation initiatives in last 45 years. He is not only known for his spiritual teachings but also for his remarkable contribution to social welfare. His mission is rooted in the belief that every human being deserves dignity, equal opportunities, and a life of self-reliance.

2. Born on 4th May, 1944, Swami Brahamdev after completion of primary education at the age of 16 years, took the spiritual path under Satguru Swami Karnail Dass Ji. During spiritual practice while completing Bachelor degree at college in Amritsar which was adjacent to a blind school, being compassionate with blind children, he decided to dedicate his life for upliftment of specially-abled children.

3. A major milestone in Swami Brahamdev’s inspiring journey was establishment of Shri Jagdamba Sanstha, when foundation stone was laid down of Shri Jagdamba Andh Vidyalaya in Sri Ganganagar in 1980. This institution provides free education, hostel facilities, and essential support to visually impaired students since 1980. Under his guidance, the Sanstha expanded its activities in the field of disability welfare and social service, which led to the establishment and growth of several important service institutions as Shri Jagdamba Deaf and Dumb School, to eradicate blindness due to cataract in Shri Jagdamba Charitable Eye Hospital which was inaugurated by the then Hon’ble Prime Minister Shri P.V.Narsimharao and Shri Jagdamba Viklang Rehabilitation Sansthan providing artificial limbs. These institutions provide education, medical treatment, rehabilitation services, and vocational training to the needy and differently-abled. The Charitable Eye hospital covers Bikaner Division and adjoining states to provide free cataract surgery to poor & needy patients.

4. The remarkable work carried out under Swami Brahamdev’s inspiration has received prestigious recognition. In 1989, the Sanstha received a State Level Award from the Social Welfare Department, Jaipur and above all in 1996, the organization was honoured with the National Award for Best Organization for Viklang Kalyanarth Sarvsresth Swayamsewi Sanstha by the Government of India which was presented by the then Hon’ble President of India Dr. Shankar Dayal Sharma.

 

Shri Gafaruddin Mewati Jogi

1. Shri Gafaruddin Mewati Jogi is a distinguished folk artist of India and a revered exponent of the Mewat-Braj region’s oral and musical traditions. He is internationally recognized for his lifelong dedication to Bhapang playing and the preservation of rare oral narrative traditions such as Mahabharata (Pandun ke Kade - nearly 2500 couplets), Lok Ramayana, Bhagwan Shiva ka Byawale, and Bhagwan Shri Krishna Leela (Ali Baksh parampara). Through his unwavering commitment to traditional performance practices, he has played a vital role in safeguarding India’s intangible cultural heritage.
 
2. Born on September 26, 1962, in village Kaithwara, Tehsil Pahadi, District Deeg, Rajasthan, Shri Gafaruddin belongs to the traditional Mewati Jogi community. He received formal education up to the ninth standard. From early childhood, he was trained under the oral guru-shishya tradition of his family lineage, mastering Bhapang, Jogiya Sarangi, Dholak, and Mewati-Braj devotional music. He devoted several decades to village-to-village performances, sustaining oral traditions through alms-based performances and continuous cultural practice.
 
3. Shri Gafaruddin has performed extensively on prestigious platforms organized by the Ministry of Culture, Government of India, and leading cultural institutions across the country. He is the founder of Brajrang Mewat Sahitya Lok Kala Sansthan, Bharatpur, established in 2007 and functioning continuously since then. His performances and collaborations include the Sangeet Natak Akademi, New Delhi; Rajasthan Sangeet Natak Akademi; Jawahar Kala Kendra, Jaipur; Indira Gandhi National Centre for the Arts (IGNCA), New Delhi; National School of Drama, New Delhi; West Zone Cultural Centre, Udaipur; Rajasthan Tourism Department; and Sanskar Bharati, Delhi.
 
4. Through his sustained artistic practice, Shri Gafaruddin has contributed significantly to the preservation of nearly twenty endangered folk musical instruments and oral narrative traditions. His work has supported academic research, including Ph.D. level studies in folk and oral traditions. He has actively nurtured the next generation of practitioners, including his son Shaharukh Khan Mewati Jogi, grandson Danish Jogi, and numerous disciples, thereby ensuring the continuity and authenticity of these traditions on national and international stages.
 
5. Shri Gafaruddin has been the recipient of numerous prestigious awards and honours in recognition of his outstanding contribution to folk arts. These include the Sangeet Natak Akademi Award, New Delhi (2022) conferred by the Government of India; Rajasthan State Honour, Jaipur (2016); Prabuddha Lok Kalakar Samman (2013); Castrol India Award, Mumbai (2013); Braj-Mewat Anchal Visheshank Vimochan Samman, Bharatpur (2011); Sur Samman, Jaipur (2009); Lok Kala Samman (2008); Lok Parampara Utkrisht Samman (1997); Flower Award (1996); Saksharta Jagrukta Samman (1996); and Yuva Puraskar (1993).

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