Padma Awards 2026: Dharmendra, Rohit Sharma Among 131 Honorees
The Government of India announced 131 Padma Awards on the eve of Republic Day 2026, including 5 Padma Vibhushan, 13 Padma Bhushan, and 113 Padma Shri awards.
Padma Vibhushan Recipients
Late actor Dharmendra, former Supreme Court judge K.T. Thomas, Communist leader and former Kerala CM V.S. Achuthanandan, and two other eminent personalities have been awarded the Padma Vibhushan.
Padma Bhushan Recipients
Renowned singer Alka Yagnik, former Jharkhand CM Shibu Soren, former Uttarakhand CM Bhagat Singh Koshyari, and 10 other notable individuals will receive the Padma Bhushan.
Padma Shri Recipients
Actor R. Madhavan, cricketer Rohit Sharma, para-athlete Praveen Kumar, women’s cricket team captain Harmanpreet Kaur, hockey player Savita Punia, and 108 other personalities have been awarded the Padma Shri. Among them, 19 are women and 6 are foreign/NRI/PIO/OCI category recipients. Sixteen awards were given posthumously.
Notable Recipients
- Gaffaruddin Mewati – Folk singer from Rajasthan, known for "Pandun Ka Kada".
- Anke Gauda – Built a library by selling his house, with over 2 million rare books in Karnataka.
- Inderjit Singh – Former DIG from Punjab, cleans streets daily at age 88.
- Budhri Tati – Social worker from Chhattisgarh running orphanages and old-age homes, dedicated to women empowerment.
State-wise Distribution
Tamil Nadu leads among states holding assembly elections this year with 13 awards, followed by West Bengal (11), Kerala (8), Assam (5), and Puducherry (1). Maharashtra tops overall with 15 awardees. A total of 78 awards were given across other states and union territories.
About Padma Awards
The Padma Awards are among India’s highest civilian honors, awarded in three categories – Padma Shri, Padma Bhushan, and Padma Vibhushan. They recognize excellence in diverse fields including art, social work, science, engineering, business, industry, medicine, literature, education, sports, and civil services.