The Padma Awards 2026 are among India’s highest civilian honours and were officially announced on the occasion of Republic Day (26 January 2026) by the Government of India, celebrating 131 distinguished achievers across the nation and abroad. These awards are conferred in three tiers:
- Padma Vibhushan – For exceptional and distinguished service
- Padma Bhushan – For distinguished service of a high order
- Padma Shri – For notable contributions in various fields
The recipients represent excellence in fields such as art & culture, public affairs, medicine, science & engineering, literature & education, sports, social work, trade & industry, civil service and more, including several posthumous awards.
What Are the Padma Awards?
The Padma Awards are among India’s most prestigious civilian honours, instituted in 1954 to recognize outstanding service and achievements that have “specially distinguished” citizens nationally and internationally. They are traditionally announced every year on Republic Day and later presented by the President of India at a ceremonial function. The Padma Awards 2026 Winners List includes:
- 🏅 5 Padma Vibhushan winners
- 🏆 13 Padma Bhushan winners
- 🎖 113 Padma Shri winners
Total: 131 awardees including 19 women, 16 posthumous recipients, and 6 foreign/NRI/PIO/OCI awardees
Padma Vibhushan Winners 2026
The Padma Vibhushan 2026 honours five exceptional individuals for their extraordinary and distinguished service in fields such as art, literature and education, and public affairs. This year’s recipients include celebrated cultural icons and eminent contributors whose work has had a profound impact on society and the nation.
| S.N. | Name | Field | State |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Shri Dharmendra Singh Deol (Posthumous) | Art | Maharashtra |
| 2 | Shri K T Thomas | Public Affairs | Kerala |
| 3 | Ms. N. Rajam | Art | Uttar Pradesh |
| 4 | Shri P. Narayanan | Literature & Education | Kerala |
| 5 | Shri V. S. Achuthanandhan (Posthumous) | Public Affairs | Kerala |
Padma Bhushan Winners 2026
The Padma Bhushan 2026 honours 13 distinguished individuals for their exceptional service of a high order across fields including art, public affairs, medicine, social work, sports, and trade & industry. The list features renowned figures from India and abroad, celebrating their outstanding contributions to society and excellence in their respective domains.
| S.N. | Name | Field | State / Country |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Ms. Alka Yagnik | Art | Maharashtra |
| 2 | Shri Bhagat Singh Koshyari | Public Affairs | Uttarakhand |
| 3 | Shri K. R. Palaniswamy | Medicine | Tamil Nadu |
| 4 | Shri Mammootty | Art | Kerala |
| 5 | Dr. Nori Dattatreyudu | Medicine | USA |
| 6 | Shri Piyush Pandey (Posthumous) | Art | Maharashtra |
| 7 | Shri S. K. M. Maeilanandhan | Social Work | Tamil Nadu |
| 8 | Shri Shatavadhani R. Ganesh | Art | Karnataka |
| 9 | Shri Shibu Soren (Posthumous) | Public Affairs | Jharkhand |
| 10 | Shri Uday Kotak | Trade & Industry | Maharashtra |
| 11 | Shri V. K. Malhotra (Posthumous) | Public Affairs | Delhi |
| 12 | Shri Vellappally Natesan | Public Affairs | Kerala |
| 13 | Shri Vijay Amritraj | Sports | USA |
Padma Shri Winners 2026
The Padma Shri 2026 honours 113 individuals for their distinguished contributions across diverse fields such as art, literature and education, medicine, science and engineering, social work, sports, and other areas. The list includes prominent personalities, unsung heroes, and several posthumous awardees from India and abroad. These awards recognise notable service that has positively impacted society, culture, and national development.
| S.N. | Name | Field | State / Country |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Shri A E Muthunayagam | Science and Engineering | Kerala |
| 2 | Shri Anil Kumar Rastogi | Art | Uttar Pradesh |
| 3 | Shri Anke Gowda M. | Social Work | Karnataka |
| 4 | Ms. Armida Fernandez | Medicine | Maharashtra |
| 5 | Shri Arvind Vaidya | Art | Gujarat |
| 6 | Shri Ashok Khade | Trade and Industry | Maharashtra |
| 7 | Shri Ashok Kumar Singh | Science and Engineering | Uttar Pradesh |
| 8 | Shri Asok Kumar Haldar | Literature and Education | West Bengal |
| 9 | Shri Baldev Singh | Sports | Punjab |
| 10 | Shri Bhagwandas Raikwar | Sports | Madhya Pradesh |
| 11 | Shri Bharat Singh Bharti | Art | Bihar |
| 12 | Shri Bhiklya Ladakya Dhinda | Art | Maharashtra |
| 13 | Shri Bishwa Bandhu (Posthumous) | Art | Bihar |
| 14 | Shri Brij Lal Bhat | Social Work | Jammu and Kashmir |
| 15 | Shri Buddha Rashmi Mani | Others – Archaeology | Uttar Pradesh |
| 16 | Dr. Budhri Tati | Social Work | Chhattisgarh |
| 17 | Shri Chandramouli Gaddamanugu | Science and Engineering | Telangana |
| 18 | Shri Charan Hembram | Literature and Education | Odisha |
| 19 | Shri Chiranji Lal Yadav | Art | Uttar Pradesh |
| 20 | Ms. Deepika Reddy | Art | Telangana |
| 21 | Shri Dharmiklal Chunilal Pandya | Art | Gujarat |
| 22 | Shri Gadde Babu Rajendra Prasad | Art | Andhra Pradesh |
| 23 | Shri Gafruddin Mewati Jogi | Art | Rajasthan |
| 24 | Shri Gambir Singh Yonzone | Literature and Education | West Bengal |
| 25 | Shri Garimella Balakrishna Prasad (Posthumous) | Art | Andhra Pradesh |
| 26 | Ms. Gayatri Balasubramanian & Ms. Ranjani Balasubramanian (Duo) | Art | Tamil Nadu |
| 27 | Shri Gopal Ji Trivedi | Science and Engineering | Bihar |
| 28 | Shri Guduru Venkat Rao | Medicine | Telangana |
| 29 | Shri H V Hande | Medicine | Tamil Nadu |
| 30 | Shri Hally War | Social Work | Meghalaya |
| 31 | Shri Hari Madhab Mukhopadhyay (Posthumous) | Art | West Bengal |
| 32 | Shri Haricharan Saikia | Art | Assam |
| 33 | Ms. Harmanpreet Kaur Bhullar | Sports | Punjab |
| 34 | Shri Inderjit Singh Sidhu | Social Work | Chandigarh |
| 35 | Shri Janardan Bapurao Bothe | Social Work | Maharashtra |
| 36 | Shri Jogesh Deuri | Others – Agriculture | Assam |
| 37 | Shri Juzer Vasi | Science and Engineering | Maharashtra |
| 38 | Shri Jyotish Debnath | Art | West Bengal |
| 39 | Shri K Pajanivel | Sports | Puducherry |
| 40 | Shri K Ramasamy | Science and Engineering | Tamil Nadu |
| 41 | Shri K Vijay Kumar | Civil Service | Tamil Nadu |
| 42 | Shri Kabindra Purkayastha (Posthumous) | Public Affairs | Assam |
| 43 | Shri Kailash Chandra Pant | Literature and Education | Madhya Pradesh |
| 44 | Ms. Kalamandalam Vimala Menon | Art | Kerala |
| 45 | Shri Kewal Krishan Thakral | Medicine | Uttar Pradesh |
| 46 | Shri Khem Raj Sundriyal | Art | Haryana |
| 47 | Ms. Kollakal Devaki Amma G | Social Work | Kerala |
| 48 | Shri Krishnamurty Balasubramanian | Science and Engineering | Telangana |
| 49 | Shri Kumar Bose | Art | West Bengal |
| 50 | Shri Kumarasamy Thangaraj | Science and Engineering | Telangana |
| 51 | Prof. (Dr.) Lars-Christian Koch | Art | Germany |
| 52 | Ms. Liudmila Viktorovna Khokhlova | Literature and Education | Russia |
| 53 | Shri Madhavan Ranganathan | Art | Maharashtra |
| 54 | Shri Maganti Murali Mohan | Art | Andhra Pradesh |
| 55 | Shri Mahendra Kumar Mishra | Literature and Education | Odisha |
| 56 | Shri Mahendra Nath Roy | Literature and Education | West Bengal |
| 57 | Shri Mamidala Jagadesh Kumar | Literature and Education | Delhi |
| 58 | Ms. Mangala Kapoor | Literature and Education | Uttar Pradesh |
| 59 | Shri Mir Hajibhai Kasambhai | Art | Gujarat |
| 60 | Shri Mohan Nagar | Social Work | Madhya Pradesh |
| 61 | Shri Narayan Vyas | Others – Archaeology | Madhya Pradesh |
| 62 | Shri Naresh Chandra Dev Varma | Literature and Education | Tripura |
| 63 | Shri Nilesh Vinodchandra Mandlewala | Social Work | Gujarat |
| 64 | Shri Nuruddin Ahmed | Art | Assam |
| 65 | Shri Othuvaar Thiruthani Swaminathan | Art | Tamil Nadu |
| 66 | Dr. Padma Gurmet | Medicine | Ladakh |
| 67 | Shri Palkonda Vijay Anand Reddy | Medicine | Telangana |
| 68 | Ms. Pokhila Lekthepi | Art | Assam |
| 69 | Dr. Prabhakar Basavprabhu Kore | Literature and Education | Karnataka |
| 70 | Shri Prateek Sharma | Medicine | USA |
| 71 | Shri Praveen Kumar | Sports | Uttar Pradesh |
| 72 | Shri Prem Lal Gautam | Science and Engineering | Himachal Pradesh |
| 73 | Shri Prosenjit Chatterjee | Art | West Bengal |
| 74 | Dr. Punniamurthy Natesan | Medicine | Tamil Nadu |
| 75 | Shri R Krishnan (Posthumous) | Art | Tamil Nadu |
| 76 | Shri R V S Mani | Civil Service | Delhi |
| 77 | Shri Rabilal Tudu | Literature and Education | West Bengal |
| 78 | Shri Raghupat Singh (Posthumous) | Others – Agriculture | Uttar Pradesh |
| 79 | Shri Raghuveer Tukaram Khedkar | Art | Maharashtra |
| 80 | Shri Rajastapathi Kaliappa Goundar | Art | Tamil Nadu |
| 81 | Shri Rajendra Prasad | Medicine | Uttar Pradesh |
| 82 | Shri Rama Reddy Mamidi (Posthumous) | Others – Animal Husbandry | Telangana |
| 83 | Shri Ramamurthy Sreedher | Others – Radio Broadcasting | Delhi |
| 84 | Shri Ramchandra Godbole & Ms. Suneeta Godbole (Duo) | Medicine | Chhattisgarh |
| 85 | Shri Ratilal Borisagar | Literature and Education | Gujarat |
| 86 | Shri Rohit Sharma | Sports | Maharashtra |
| 87 | Ms. S G Susheelamma | Social Work | Karnataka |
| 88 | Shri Sangyusang S Pongener | Art | Nagaland |
| 89 | Sant Niranjan Dass | Others – Spiritualism | Punjab |
| 90 | Shri Sarat Kumar Patra | Art | Odisha |
| 91 | Shri Saroj Mandal | Medicine | West Bengal |
| 92 | Shri Satish Shah (Posthumous) | Art | Maharashtra |
| 93 | Shri Satyanarayan Nuwal | Trade and Industry | Maharashtra |
| 94 | Ms. Savita Punia | Sports | Haryana |
| 95 | Prof. Shafi Shauq | Literature and Education | Jammu and Kashmir |
| 96 | Shri Shashi Shekhar Vempati | Literature and Education | Karnataka |
| 97 | Shri Shrirang Devaba Lad | Others – Agriculture | Maharashtra |
| 98 | Ms. Shubha Venkatesha Iyengar | Science and Engineering | Karnataka |
| 99 | Shri Shyam Sundar | Medicine | Uttar Pradesh |
| 100 | Shri Simanchal Patro | Art | Odisha |
| 101 | Ms. Sivasankari | Literature and Education | Tamil Nadu |
| 102 | Dr. Suresh Hanagavadi | Medicine | Karnataka |
| 103 | Swami Brahmdev Ji Maharaj | Social Work | Rajasthan |
| 104 | Shri T T Jagannathan (Posthumous) | Trade and Industry | Karnataka |
| 105 | Shri Taga Ram Bheel | Art | Rajasthan |
| 106 | Shri Tarun Bhattacharya | Art | West Bengal |
| 107 | Shri Techi Gubin | Social Work | Arunachal Pradesh |
| 108 | Shri Thiruvaarur Bakthavathsalam | Art | Tamil Nadu |
| 109 | Ms. Tripti Mukherjee | Art | West Bengal |
| 110 | Shri Veezhinathan Kamakoti | Science and Engineering | Tamil Nadu |
| 111 | Shri Vempaty Kutumba Sastry | Literature and Education | Andhra Pradesh |
| 112 | Shri Vladimer Mestvirishvili (Posthumous) | Sports | Georgia |
| 113 | Shri Yumnam Jatra Singh (Posthumous) | Art | Manipur |
Selection Process for Padma Award 2026 Recipients
The Padma Awards: Padma Vibhushan, Padma Bhushan, and Padma Shri are among India’s highest civilian honours. Recipients are selected based on their distinguished contribution and service to the nation in fields such as art, literature, education, medicine, science, public affairs, social work, sports, trade, and industry.
1. Nominations
- Anyone, including the general public, state governments, Union territories, and central ministries, can nominate a person for a Padma Award.
- Self-nomination is also allowed.
- Nominations are submitted online through the official Padma Awards portal before the annual deadline.
2. Scrutiny by the Padma Awards Committee
- The Padma Awards Committee, constituted by the Prime Minister of India, reviews all nominations.
- The committee is headed by the Cabinet Secretary and includes eminent persons from different fields.
- They evaluate nominees based on excellence, impact, and contribution to society or the nation.
3. Recommendations
The committee shortlists candidates and sends its recommendations to the Prime Minister, who forwards them to the President of India for approval.
4. Approval by the President of India
- The final decision rests with the President of India, who formally approves the list of awardees.
- The awards are announced every year on the eve of Republic Day (26th January).
5. Confidentiality and Exceptions
- The names of awardees are kept confidential until the official announcement.
- Some awards can also be given posthumously, if the individual has passed away after making a significant contribution.
Padma Awards 2026 Winners List FAQs
Q1. What are the Padma Awards? The Padma Awards are India’s highest civilian honours, recognising individuals for exceptional achievements and distinguished service in fields like art, medicine, literature, science, sports, and public affairs.
Q2. Which categories are included in the Padma Awards? The Padma Awards include three categories: Padma Vibhushan for exceptional service, Padma Bhushan for distinguished service of a high order, and Padma Shri for notable contributions in any field.
Q3. How many winners were there in the Padma Awards 2026? In 2026, a total of 131 individuals received Padma Awards, including 5 Padma Vibhushan, 13 Padma Bhushan, and 113 Padma Shri recipients.
Q4. Who are some notable Padma Vibhushan winners in 2026? Notable Padma Vibhushan winners in 2026 include Shri Dharmendra Singh Deol (Posthumous), Ms. N. Rajam, Shri P. Narayanan, and others recognised for exceptional service in art, public affairs, and literature.
Q5. Which famous personalities received the Padma Bhushan in 2026? Prominent Padma Bhushan awardees in 2026 include Ms. Alka Yagnik, Shri Mammootty, Shri Uday Kotak, and Shri Vijay Amritraj for distinguished contributions in art, trade, sports, and public affairs.
Q6. Who are some key Padma Shri winners in 2026? Key Padma Shri recipients in 2026 include Shri Rohit Sharma, Ms. Harmanpreet Kaur Bhullar, Prof. (Dr.) Lars-Christian Koch, and 110 others from fields like sports, art, literature, medicine, and social work.
Q7. Are there international awardees in the Padma Awards 2026? Yes, the 2026 Padma Awards include international recipients from countries such as the USA, Germany, and Russia, recognising their global contributions and association with India.
Q8. Can Padma Awards be conferred posthumously? Yes, Padma Awards can be awarded posthumously, and in 2026 several individuals, including Shri Dharmendra Singh Deol, were honoured after their passing.
Q9. How are Padma Award recipients selected? Padma Award recipients are chosen through public or institutional nominations, reviewed by the Padma Awards Committee, and finalised by the President of India based on merit and distinguished service.
Q10. When are the Padma Awards presented? The Padma Awards are announced on Republic Day (26 January) each year, and the President of India presents them at the investiture ceremony held later at Rashtrapati Bhavan.

