In the lead-up to Republic Day 2026, the nation has announced the names of the Padma Award winners for the year 2026. The honours were given to 45 deserving individuals from throughout the nation who have made significant contributions in areas such as healthcare, literature and education, community welfare, public service, and social work.
Honourees come from many walks of life and have been quietly making a difference for decades; many hail from underrepresented groups, such as Dalits and other backward sections, primitive tribes, or areas with very challenging terrain. Members of the 'Divyangjan,' women, children, Dalits, and tribal communities who have worked tirelessly to improve access to healthcare, sanitation, education, and sustainable livelihoods are prominent on this year's list. There are three levels of the Padma Awards, which are bestowed upon deserving individuals: Padma Shri, Padma Bhushan, and Padma Vibhushan.
What are the Padma Awards?
On the evening before Republic Day, India announces the Padma Awards, one of the country's highest civilian accolades. There are three levels of the award, each denoting a different kind of outstanding service: Padma Vibhushan, Padma Bhushan, and Padma Shri. Any endeavour or area of study that has contributed to the greater good is eligible to receive this prestigious prize. The Padma Awards Committee is appointed annually by the Prime Minister and is responsible for recommending recipients to the award ceremony. Anyone can view the nominations and participate in them. In total, the government announced 131 Padma awards for this year. Among them were 13 Padma Bhushan, 5 Padma Shri, and 13 Padma Vibhushan. According to a government announcement on Sunday, there are a total of 106 recipients, with 90 of them being women. The remaining six fall into one of three categories: foreign nationals, Persons of Indian Origin, or Overseas Citizens of India.
The Padma Shri is bestowed for distinguished service in any domain, the Padma Bhushan for distinguished service of a high level, and the Padma Vibhushan for outstanding and distinguished service. Artists, social workers, public servants, doctors, scientists, engineers, educators, athletes, businesspeople, and public servants from all walks of life are represented on the 2026 list. We trust that you will recognise these 2026 Padma Award recipients!
Padma Vibhushan
This year's Padma Vibhushan recipient is Dharmendra, who received the honour after his death. Bollywood considers the legendary actor an icon. At his Mumbai home on November 24th, he passed away last year. Ikkis was his last film role. In recognition of his illustrious career in the field, he received one of the nation's highest civilian honours.
Padma Bhushan
Shibu Soren, founder of the Jharkhand Mukti Morcha (JMM), was posthumously awarded the Padma Bhushan in the category of public affairs. Posthumously bestowed upon Piyush Pandey, an advertising expert, and V.K. Malhotra, a veteran of the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), India's third-highest civilian award, are two more names. Padma Bhushan was bestowed upon Bhagat Singh Koshyari, a former chief minister of Uttarakhand, and Vellapally Natesan, the head of the socialist national democratic party (SNDP). Indian tennis great Vijay Amitraj and business magnate Uday Kotak are among the other noteworthy recipients (sports)
The only female awardee in this category is Alka Yagnik. Songs by Indian playback singer Alka Yagnik include "Agar Tum Saath Ho," "Chura Ke Dil Mera," "Dil Ne Yeh Kaha Hain Dil Se," "Pehli Pehli Baar Mohabbat Ki Hai," "Baazigar O Baazigar," and "Dekha Hai Pehli Baar," among many more. For her work as a female playback singer, she has been honored with two National Film Awards.
Another awardee in this category is the Malayalam superstar Mammooty! Mammootty is an actor who mainly appears in Malayalam films. He is widely regarded as one of the top actors in India. In addition to three National Awards for Best Actor, he received the Padma Shri in 1998.
Posthumously awarded the Padma Bhushan, advertising veteran Piyush Pandey is widely considered the creative mastermind responsible for giving Indian advertising its unique character and voice. Pandey turned commercials from English-speaking displays into stories inspired by Indian culture and everyday experiences. He passed away in October of last year.
Padma Shri
The fourth-highest civilian honour in the nation went to several athletes and sportsmen, including former India test captain Rohit Sharma, current India women's captain Harmanpreet Kaur, para high jumper Praveen Kumar, and hockey player Savita Punia. The women's hockey team's coach, Baldev Singh, was also recognized for his work in the sport. Awardees also include Anil Rastogi and R. Madhavan. Performing on stage for over sixty years, Anil Kumar Rastogi is a seasoned actor. Ishaqzaade, Mulk, and Hotel Salvation are just a few of his film credits.
For more than twenty years, Ranganathan Madhavan has been performing on screen. His most recent film appearance was in Dhurandhar. His major filmography includes Kannathil Muthamittal, 3 Idiots, Shaitan, Run, Anbe Sivam, and Aaytha Ezhuthu. The lead part in Mani Ratnam's romance movie Alai Payuthey catapulted Madhavan to stardom in Tamil cinema, and he has since become a multilingual actor. His first Bollywood film, Rehna Hai Tere Dil Mein, came out the following year. The actor's most recent film appearance was in Dhurandhar, the fourth-highest-grossing Indian film of all time, directed by Aditya Dhar. The sequel, which will feature Madhavan as an Indian spymaster again, is scheduled to be released in theatres on March 19, 2026.
Prosenjit Chatterjee is also an awardee this year! Over the course of his thirty-year acting career, Prosenjit Chatterjee has appeared in more than 300 films, making him a major star in Bengali cinema. Dosar, Utsab, Chokher Bali, Autograph, Moner Manush, and Shesh Pata are among his significant flicks.
Actor Satish Shah has also been awarded the Padma Shri posthumously. Comedy roles in films and TV shows like Jaane Bhi Do Yaaro and Sarabhai vs. Sarabhai brought Shah the greatest fame. Complications from his kidneys caused his death on October 25, 2025, when he was 74 years old.