Bombay High Court Asks Centre To Decide Plea For Posthumously Conferring Padma Vibhushan On Olympian Khashaba Jadhav

The Bombay High Court last week ordered the Central Government to decide if it would confer the Padma Vibhushan Award on former wrestler Khashaba Dadasaheb Jadhav, posthumously, by May 4.Jadhav is the first Indian athlete to win a medal in Olympics in individual category. He had bagged a bronze medal in freestyle wrestling at the 1952 Helsinki Summer Olympics.A division bench of Justice Madhav Jamdar and Justice Pravin Patil was recently petitioned by Jadhav's son - Ranjeet Jadhav, who has founded an organisation - Kusteeveer Khashaba Jadhav Foundation. By filing a Public Interest Litigation (PIL) Jadhav urged the bench to Issue an appropriate direction to the Central Government's Ministry of Home Affairs (Padma Awards Cell) to consult with the Padma Awards Committee, to consider and decide afresh the representations, nominations and recommendations made for posthumous conferment of the Padma Vibhushan Award upon his late father, in accordance with law and the official criteria governing the Padma Awards;While taking note of the pleading, the judges in their April 15, order, recorded, "The Petitioner is seeking that Khashaba Dadasaheb Jadhav, India's first individual Olympic medallist, be considered for posthumous conferment of the Padma Vibhushan Award. It is undisputed that Khashaba Dadasaheb Jadhav is India's first individual Olympic medalist."The judges therefore, ordered the Central Government through the Ministry of Home Affairs (Padma Awards Cell) to clarify its stand on the issue by the next date of hearing. The bench also ordered the authority to file its affidavit spelling out its decision by May 4. Further a directive is issued to the Maharashtra Government to fulfil any formal requirements, if needed. "Accordingly, Union of India is directed to take appropriate decision on or before May 4, 2026. The State Government, if required, to comply with any requirements expeditiously," the judges ordered. The matter has been fixed for further consideration on May 5, 2026 afternoon. Appearance:Advocates Sangram Desai, Prerna S, Advait Vajaratkar, Sanjana Desai, Sakshi Jankar and Janhavi Dadhvadkar appeared for the Petitioner..Advocate Vijay Killedar represented the Union of India.Case Title: Kusteeveer Khashaba Jadhav Foundation vs Union of India (Public Interest Litigation 100 of 2025)Click Here To Read/Download Order

Bombay High Court Asks Centre To Decide Plea For Posthumously Conferring Padma Vibhushan On Olympian Khashaba Jadhav

Narsi Benwal

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