Padma awards 2026: Nation honours 131 achievers

Padma Awards 2026 honored 131 achievers: 5 Padma Vibhushan, 13 Padma Bhushan, and 113 Padma Shri, spanning arts, politics, medicine, sports, and industry

The Central Government has announced the prestigious Padma Awards for 2026, recognizing individuals who have made outstanding contributions across diverse fields. The announcement, made on the eve of the 77th Republic Day, honoured a total of 131 achievers with Padma Vibhushan, Padma Bhushan, and Padma Shri awards.

This year, five eminent personalities received the Padma Vibhushan, including Dharmendra Singh Deol (posthumous), KT Thomas, N. Ranjam, P. Narayanan, and VS Achuthanandan (posthumous). Dharmendra, the legendary film actor, was remembered for his immense contribution to Indian cinema, while Achuthanandan was honored for his political and social service legacy.

The Padma Bhushan was conferred on 13 achievers, among them singer Alka Yagnik, former Maharashtra Governor Bhagat Singh Koshyari, actor Mammootty, medical expert Nori Dattatreyudu, advertising icon Piyush Pandey (posthumous), philanthropist SKM Mylanandhan, scholar Shatavadhani R. Ganesh, Jharkhand leader Shibu Soren (posthumous), industrialist Uday Kotak, sports administrator V.K. Malhotra (posthumous), social leader Vellappalli Natesan, and tennis legend Vijay Amritraj.

Also Read: HC stays probe in viral Lamborghini case after owner pays fine, fixes noisy silencer

In addition, 113 individuals were honored with the Padma Shri, reflecting the breadth of contributions from across the nation. Among them were cricketer Rohit Sharma, social worker Anke Gowda, educationist Dr. Prabhakar Kore, activist SG Sushilamma, scholar Sasishekhar Vempathy, and scientist Shubha Venkatesh Iyengar.

The awards also highlighted regional representation, with achievers from Kerala (8), Tamil Nadu (13), Bengal (11), Assam (5), Uttar Pradesh (11), and Maharashtra (16).

The Padma Awards continue to stand as a symbol of national gratitude, celebrating selfless service and excellence in arts, literature, education, medicine, industry, and public life.

Also Read: Bengaluru’s innovative waste solution highlighted in PM’s Mann Ki Baat