Padma Awards 2026: Full List of 131 Honourees — Vision, Diversity & National Recognition

Updated on Republic Day Week, Jan 25–26, 2026

Every year on the eve of India’s Republic Day, the Government of India announces the Padma Awards — among the country’s most prestigious civilian honours — celebrating citizens and global individuals whose work has had deep impact across society, culture, science, public service, sports and more.

The 2026 Padma Awards list is remarkable not just for its outstanding personalities but also for diversity of fields, grassroots achievers, and representation from across regions — making it highly relevant for current affairs and UPSC aspirants alike.

Overview of Padma Awards

India’s Padma Awards rank below the Bharat Ratna (the highest civilian honour) and are conferred in three categories:

Padma Vibhushan – for exceptional and distinguished service
Padma Bhushan – for distinguished service of high order
Padma Shri – for distinguished service in any field

These awards reflect the state’s recognition of contributions that strengthen national identity, innovation, public welfare, cultural heritage and global presence.

Padma Awards 2026 Full List— TOTAL: 131 awardees

• Padma Vibhushan: 5
• Padma Bhushan: 13
• Padma Shri: 113

Out of the total, 16 awards are posthumous, 19 are women awardees, and 6 include Foreign/NRI/PIO/OCI recipients — illustrating both inclusivity and global ties.

Padma Vibhushan (5)

Recognises exceptional & distinguished service across domains:

Name	Field	State / Country
Shri Dharmendra Singh Deol (Posthumous)	Art / Cinema	Maharashtra
Shri K T Thomas	Public Affairs	Kerala
Ms N Rajam	Art / Music (Violin)	Uttar Pradesh
Shri P Narayanan	Literature & Education	Kerala
Shri V S Achuthanandhan (Posthumous)	Public Affairs	Kerala
Highlights: Veteran Bollywood icon Dharmendra and classical violin maestro N Rajam — a rare dual legacy in film and classical music.

Padma Bhushan (13)

Honouring distinguished, high-order contributions:

Name	Field	State / Country
Ms Alka Yagnik	Art / Music	Maharashtra
Shri Bhagat Singh Koshyari	Public Affairs	Uttarakhand
Shri Kallipatti Ramasamy Palaniswamy	Medicine	Tamil Nadu
Shri Mammootty	Art / Cinema	Kerala
Dr Nori Dattatreyudu	Medicine	USA
Shri Piyush Pandey (Posthumous)	Art / Advertising	Maharashtra
Shri S K M Maeilanandhan	Social Work	Tamil Nadu
Shri Shatavadhani R Ganesh	Art / Literature	Karnataka
Shri Shibu Soren (Posthumous)	Public Affairs	Jharkhand
Shri Uday Kotak	Trade & Industry	Maharashtra
Shri V K Malhotra (Posthumous)	Public Affairs	Delhi
Shri Vellappally Natesan	Public Affairs	Kerala
Shri Vijay Amritraj	Sports	USA
From Alka Yagnik’s musical legacy to Vijay Amritraj’s global sports stature, this list reflects interdisciplinary excellence.

Padma Shri (113)

This largest category recognises distinguished service in diverse areas — from science and sports to social work, grassroots culture and innovation. A representative snapshot (partial, for brevity) includes:

Name	Field	State / Country
Shri A E Muthunayagam	Science & Engineering	Kerala
Shri Anil Kumar Rastogi	Art	Uttar Pradesh
Shri Anke Gowda M.	Social Work	Karnataka
Ms Armida Fernandez	Medicine	Maharashtra
Shri Arvind Vaidya	Art	Gujarat
Shri Baldev Singh	Sports	Punjab
Shri R Madhavan	Art / Cinema	Tamil Nadu
Shri Rohit Sharma	Sports / Cricket	Maharashtra
Ms Harmanpreet Kaur	Sports / Cricket	Maharashtra
Shri Budhri Tati	Social Work	Chhattisgarh
…and many more — including R Madhavan, Rohit Sharma, Harmanpreet Kaur in public memory categories, and unsung heroes like Anke Gowda – library founder and Budhri Tati — women’s upliftment in Naxal-affected regions.

Note: A comprehensive table of all 113 Padma Shri recipients is available in official releases and news sources.

Regional & Demographic Trends

State Representation

Maharashtra leads with the highest number of awardees (15), highlighting its broad cultural, scientific and public service impact.
Tamil Nadu, Uttar Pradesh, West Bengal follow closely, with strong representation in arts, education and social work.
Kerala also stands out with high-order honours in Vibhushan and Bhushan categories.

Emerging Themes

Inclusion of “unsung heroes” from remote districts and diverse fields underscores India’s expanded lens toward grassroots change.
Several super-senior contributors (80+) highlight lifetime service across sectors.

UPSC Current Affairs Relevance

The Padma Awards are frequent topics in GS Paper 1 & 2 for UPSC due to their:

Civilian Honour Hierarchy

Understanding Bharat Ratna → Padma Vibhushan → Padma Bhushan → Padma Shri is basic static GK.

Policy & Cultural Significance

Awards highlight India’s value system, celebrating excellence beyond elite spaces — arts, science, tribal culture, sports, medicine and literacy.
Reflect government priorities: social inclusion, heritage preservation, regional representation.

Current Affairs Anchors

Posthumous recognitions (e.g., Dharmendra, Shibu Soren) link to legacy narratives in politics, culture and society.
Global Indian diaspora winners illustrate India’s soft power (Vijay Amritraj, Dr. Nori Dattatreyudu).

Questions in exams often relate to award criteria, significance, and contextual contributions — making this list a ready reference.

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Conclusion: A Celebration of India’s Diversity and Excellence

The 2026 Padma Awards list is a testimony to India’s pluralism of talent — from cinema and classical music to scientific innovation, social transformation and global footprints. It not only honours established icons but also gives spotlight to unsung achievers whose stories inspire resilience and service.

For UPSC aspirants, this list is more than names — it’s about understanding values, contributions and narratives that shape the nation’s progress story.