On June 18, 2025, renowned journalist and thinker Ram Bahadur Rai was formally presented the Padma Bhushan at a special event held at the Indira Gandhi National Centre for the Arts (IGNCA) in Delhi.

Though conferred earlier by the President of India, Rai received the award in person from the Ministry of Home Affairs due to his earlier absence at the Rashtrapati Bhavan ceremony.

Key Points:

• The Padma Bhushan award, India’s third-highest civilian honour, was presented to Ram Bahadur Rai by Satpal Chauhan, Director General, Ministry of Home Affairs, at IGNCA.
• Rai is the President of the IGNCA Trust and has over four decades of contribution to Indian journalism, including his work with Jansatta and Hindusthan Samachar.
• He was a noted student leader during the JP Movement and was imprisoned under MISA during the Emergency period.
• Distinguished guests including former Delhi Lt Governor Najeeb Jung attended the ceremony, reflecting Rai’s wide respect across sectors.
• Ram Bahadur Rai was earlier awarded the Padma Shri in 2015 and is known for influential columns and literary works including "Kahat Kabir" and political biographies.