The Padma Awards are among India’s highest civilian honors announced on Republic Day, celebrating individuals who have made exceptional contributions to the nation through their work and commitment in various fields. Check the complete list of Padma Awards 2026 Winners with Name, Field & State.
On the occasion of Republic Day in India, the President of India approved the list of Padma Awards 2026 to 131 recipients, comprising 5 Padma Vibhushan, 13 Padma Bhushan, and 113 Padma Shri awards. The Padma Awards are among India’s highest civilian honours, celebrating individuals who have made exceptional contributions to the nation through their work and commitment in various fields such as trade, science, cinema, public affairs, literature, social work and medicine. Every year, the Padma awards are announced to celebrate the contributions of people who have gone out of their way to bring laurels to the nation.
The Padma Awards also bring the tales of inspiring people to the masses, and people get to know more about the heroes of the nation. The beauty of the Padma awards is that it doesn’t look for caste, creed or gender while honouring people for their work. From well-known achievers to unsung heroes working quietly at the grassroots level, the Padma awards consider absolutely anybody whose achievements bring pride to the country. The Padma awards are divided into three categories, namely Padma Vibhushan, Padma Bhushan and Padma Shri. Each award honours different levels of distinguished service. Padma Vibhushan is the second-highest award, Padma Bhushan is the third-highest, while Padma Shri is the fourth-highest award given to citizens of India.
What are Padma Awards?
The Padma Awards are among India's highest civilian honours and are announced annually on 26th January on the occasion of Republic Day. The concept of Padma Awards was established in 1954, and since then,Padma Awardshave been rolled out every year to honour achievers from various fields such as art, social work, public affairs, science, medicine, literature, education, and sports. The Padma awards are categorised into three awards, such as Padma Vibhushan, Padma Bhushan and Padma Shri awards.
Types of Padma Awards
The Padma Awards are India's highest civilian honors announced on Republic Day and are categorized into three types based on the level of service: Padma Vibhushan (exceptional/distinguished service), Padma Bhushan (distinguished service of a high order), and Padma Shri (distinguished service). The Padma awards recognize achievements across various fields, including art, sports, medicine, and social work. Let’s take a look at the major types of Padma Award in detail: -
1. Padma Vibhushan
The Padma Vibhushan is the second-highest civilian award of the Republic of India, ranking below the Bharat Ratna. It is awarded for exceptional and distinguished service in any field, including government service. It recognizes lifelong achievement rather than just long service. It is awarded without discrimination of any race, occupation, position or sex. Famous personalities, such as Minister of External Affairs Sushma Swaraj, actress Vyjayanthimala, boxer Mary Kom and Minister of Corporate Affairs Arun Jaitley, are recipients of Padma Vibhushan.
2. Padma Bhushan
The Padma Bhushan award is the third-highest civilian award in India, just below the Padma Vibhushan. Padma Bhushan awarded for distinguished service of a high order in any field, including arts, literature, education, sports, medicine, social work, science, public affairs and trade. It is awarded without discrimination of race, occupation or sex. Government servants, excluding doctors and scientists, are generally not eligible. Famous personalities, such as singer Alka Yagnik, Advertising expert Piyush Pandey, actor Mammootty and industrialist Sitaram Jindal are recipients of Padma Bhushan.
3. Padma Shri
The Padma Shri award is the fourth-highest civilian award in India, ranking just below Padma Bhushan. It is awarded annually by the Government of India on Republic Day to recognize distinguished service in various fields such as art, education, industry, literature, science, acting, medicine, social service, and public affairs. It only celebrates notable contributions of people instead of looking at high-order exceptional work or lifetime achievement. Famous personalities, such as actor R Madhavan, entrepreneur Ashok Khade, cricketer Rohit Sharma and actress Aishwarya Rai, are recipients of the Padma Shri.
Benefits of Padma Awards?
The Padma Awards are the highest civilian honors in India after Bharat Ratna, primarily designed to recognize exceptional and distinguished service in various fields, such as art, literature, education, sports, medicine, social work, science and public affairs. The primary benefit of these awards is national recognition of the awardee's lifelong work, bringing them into the spotlight and elevating their status in their respective fields. Awardees receive a small replica of the medallion, which they can wear during ceremonial functions or state events to highlight their achievement. Let’s understand the key benefits of Padma awards: -
- National Recognition: Padma Awards are among India’s highest civilian honours, giving recipients nationwide respect and visibility for their contributions.
- Prestige & Credibility: The award significantly enhances the awardee’s credibility in their field. Be it art, science, sports, social work, or public service.
- Inspiration to Society: Awardees become role models, motivating others to contribute selflessly to society and the nation.
- Platform for Greater Impact: The recognition often opens doors to larger platforms, collaborations, and opportunities to amplify social or professional work.
- Historical Legacy: Recipients’ names are permanently recorded in India’s national honours list, creating a lasting legacy.
- No Monetary Bias: Since Padma Awards are purely honorary (no cash prize), they emphasize service, excellence, and merit over material gain.
Eligibility Criteria of Padma Awards
Eligibility criteria of Padma Awards are open to all people regardless of race, gender and occupation. It recognizes ‘excellence plus’ in fields such as arts, science, social work, and trade. The Padma awards are open to Indian citizens, NRIs, foreign nationals, and government servants, except that doctors and scientists are not eligible. They are generally not given posthumously and often require a 5-year gap between Padma awards.
Selection Process of Padma Awards
Nominations are open to the public and are reviewed by the Padma Awards Committee. Self-nominations are invited annually on the Rashtriya Puraskar Portal on the official website from May 1st to September 15th. Recommendations for the Padma awards are received from Central Ministries, state governments, Bharat Ratna & Padma Vibhushan awardees and Individuals & Private Organizations. Anybody who is nominating themselves or others is required to submit an 800-word narrative detailing the nominee’s achievements.
- Padma Awards Nominations are invited annually from the public, state governments, union ministries, and institutions.
- Self-nominations are also permitted.
- Nominations are submitted online through the Padma Awards portal.
- All nominations are examined by the Padma Awards Committee.
- The committee assesses nominees for distinguished and exceptional service.
- Recommendations are forwarded to the Prime Minister.
- Final approval is given by the President of India.
- Awardees are announced on Republic Day (26 January).
- Awards are conferred by the President at Rashtrapati Bhavan.
When be Padma Awards 2026 be announced?
The Padma Awards 2026 were announced on 26 January 2026,which is the 77th Republic Day of India. The Ministry of Home Affairs released the list of 131 recipients approved by the President of India,Smt. Droupadi Murmu, recognising distinguished service in various fields.
Padma Awards 2026 Winners
The Government of India announced the 131 Padma Awards winners for 2026 on the eve of Republic Day, recognizing distinguished service in various fields including arts, social work, public affairs, science, and sports. The Padma awards list includes 5 Padma Vibhushan, 13 Padma Bhushan and 113 Padma Shri awards. Let’s take a look at Padma Awards winners of the year 2026 in detail.
Complete List of Padma Vibhushan Award 2026 Winners
On the occasion of Republic Day, the Government of India announced the names of 5 Padma Vibhushan award 2026 winners, the country's second-highest civilian honour. The Padma Vibhushan winners recognize exceptional and distinguished service across various fields and celebrate lifetime achievements. Let’s take a look at the complete list of Padma Vibhushan Award 2026 winners with their name, field and state.
| Name |
Field |
State / Region |
| Dharmendra Singh Deol (Posthumous) |
Art |
Maharashtra |
| K T Thomas |
Public Affairs |
Kerala |
| N Rajam |
Art |
Uttar Pradesh |
| P Narayanan |
Literature and Education |
Kerala |
| V S Achuthanandhan (Posthumous) |
Public Affairs |
Kerala |
Complete List of Padma Bhushan Award 2026 Winners
On the occasion of Republic Day, the Government of India announced 13 Padma Bhushan Award 2026 winners, the country's third highest civilian honour. It recognises distinguished service of high order. Let’s take a look at the complete list of Padma Bhushan Award 2026 winners with their name, field and state.
|
Name
|
Field
|
State / Country
|
| Alka Yagnik |
Art |
Maharashtra |
| Bhagat Singh Koshyari |
Public Affairs |
Uttarakhand |
| Kallipatti Ramasamy Palaniswamy |
Medicine |
Tamil Nadu |
| Mammootty |
Art |
Kerala |
| Nori Dattatreyudu |
Medicine |
United States of America |
| Piyush Pandey (Posthumous) |
Art |
Maharashtra |
| S K M Maeilanandhan |
Social Work |
Tamil Nadu |
| Shatavadhani R Ganesh |
Art |
Karnataka |
| Shibu Soren (Posthumous) |
Public Affairs |
Jharkhand |
| Uday Kotak |
Trade & Industry |
Maharashtra |
| V K Malhotra (Posthumous) |
Public Affairs |
Delhi |
| Vellappally Natesan |
Public Affairs |
Kerala |
| Vijay Amritraj |
Sports |
United States of America |
Complete List of Padma Shri Awards 2026 Winners
On the occasion of Republic Day, the Government of India announced the names of 113 Padma Shri award 2026 winners, the country's third highest civilian honour. It recognises notable contributions done by people across various fields. Let’s take a look at the complete list of Padma Shri Awards 2026 winners with their name, field and state.
|
Name
|
Field
|
State / Country
|
| Shri A E Muthunayagam |
Science and 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 Ashok Khade |
Trade and Industry |
Maharashtra |
| Shri Ashok Kumar Singh |
Science and Engineering |
Uttar Pradesh |
| Shri Asok Kumar Haldar |
Literature and Education |
West Bengal |
| Shri Baldev Singh |
Sports |
Punjab |
| Shri Bhagwandas Raikwar |
Sports |
Madhya Pradesh |
| Shri Bharat Singh Bharti |
Art |
Bihar |
| Shri BhiklyaLadakyaDhinda |
Art |
Maharashtra |
| Shri Bishwa Bandhu (Posthumous) |
Art |
Bihar |
| Shri Brij Lal Bhat |
Social Work |
Jammu and Kashmir |
| Shri Buddha Rashmi Mani |
Archaeology |
Uttar Pradesh |
| Dr. Budhri Tati |
Social Work |
Chhattisgarh |
| Shri Chandramouli Gaddamanugu |
Science and Engineering |
Telangana |
| Shri Charan Hembram |
Literature and Education |
Odisha |
| Shri Chiranji Lal Yadav |
Art |
Uttar Pradesh |
| Ms. Deepika Reddy |
Art |
Telangana |
| Shri Dharmiklal Chunilal Pandya |
Art |
Gujarat |
| Shri Gadde Babu Rajendra Prasad |
Art |
Andhra Pradesh |
| Shri Gafruddin Mewati Jogi |
Art |
Rajasthan |
| Shri Gambir Singh Yonzone |
Literature and Education |
West Bengal |
| Shri Garimella Balakrishna Prasad (Posthumous) |
Art |
Andhra Pradesh |
| Ms. Gayatri Balasubramanian & Ms. Ranjani Balasubramanian (Duo) |
Art |
Tamil Nadu |
| Shri Gopal Ji Trivedi |
Science and Engineering |
Bihar |
| Shri Guduru Venkat Rao |
Medicine |
Telangana |
| Shri H V Hande |
Medicine |
Tamil Nadu |
| Shri Hally War |
Social Work |
Meghalaya |
| Shri Hari Madhab Mukhopadhyay (Posthumous) |
Art |
West Bengal |
| Shri Haricharan Saikia |
Art |
Assam |
| Ms. Harmanpreet Kaur Bhullar |
Sports |
Punjab |
| Shri Inderjit Singh Sidhu |
Social Work |
Chandigarh |
| Shri Janardan Bapurao Bothe |
Social Work |
Maharashtra |
| Shri Jogesh Deuri |
Agriculture |
Assam |
| Shri Juzer Vasi |
Science and Engineering |
Maharashtra |
| Shri Jyotish Debnath |
Art |
West Bengal |
| Shri K Pajanivel |
Sports |
Puducherry |
| Shri K Ramasamy |
Science and Engineering |
Tamil Nadu |
| Shri K Vijay Kumar |
Civil Service |
Tamil Nadu |
| Shri Kabindra Purkayastha (Posthumous) |
Public Affairs |
Assam |
| Shri Kailash Chandra Pant |
Literature and Education |
Madhya Pradesh |
| Ms. Kalamandalam Vimala Menon |
Art |
Kerala |
| Shri Kewal Krishan Thakral |
Medicine |
Uttar Pradesh |
| Shri Khem Raj Sundriyal |
Art |
Haryana |
| Ms. Kollakal Devaki Amma G |
Social Work |
Kerala |
| Shri Krishnamurty Balasubramanian |
Science and Engineering |
Telangana |
| Shri Kumar Bose |
Art |
West Bengal |
| Shri Kumarasamy Thangaraj |
Science and Engineering |
Telangana |
| Prof. (Dr.) Lars-Christian Koch |
Art |
Germany |
| Ms. Liudmila Viktorovna Khokhlova |
Literature and Education |
Russia |
| Shri Madhavan Ranganathan |
Art |
Maharashtra |
| Shri Maganti Murali Mohan |
Art |
Andhra Pradesh |
| Shri Mahendra Kumar Mishra |
Literature and Education |
Odisha |
| Shri Mahendra Nath Roy |
Literature and Education |
West Bengal |
| Shri Mamidala Jagadesh Kumar |
Literature and Education |
Delhi |
| Ms. Mangala Kapoor |
Literature and Education |
Uttar Pradesh |
| Shri Mir HajibhaiKasambhai |
Art |
Gujarat |
| Shri Mohan Nagar |
Social Work |
Madhya Pradesh |
| Shri Narayan Vyas |
Archaeology |
Madhya Pradesh |
| Shri Naresh Chandra Dev Varma |
Literature and Education |
Tripura |
| Shri Nilesh VinodchandraMandlewala |
Social Work |
Gujarat |
| Shri Nuruddin Ahmed |
Art |
Assam |
| Shri OthuvaarThiruthani Swaminathan |
Art |
Tamil Nadu |
| Dr. Padma Gurmet |
Medicine |
Ladakh |
| Shri Palkonda Vijay Anand Reddy |
Medicine |
Telangana |
| Ms. PokhilaLekthepi |
Art |
Assam |
| Dr. Prabhakar Basavprabhu Kore |
Literature and Education |
Karnataka |
| Shri Prateek Sharma |
Medicine |
USA |
| Shri Praveen Kumar |
Sports |
Uttar Pradesh |
| Shri Prem Lal Gautam |
Science and Engineering |
Himachal Pradesh |
| Shri Prosenjit Chatterjee |
Art |
West Bengal |
| Dr. Punniamurthy Natesan |
Medicine |
Tamil Nadu |
| Shri R Krishnan (Posthumous) |
Art |
Tamil Nadu |
| Shri R V S Mani |
Civil Service |
Delhi |
| Shri Rabilal Tudu |
Literature and Education |
West Bengal |
| Shri Raghupat Singh (Posthumous) |
Agriculture |
Uttar Pradesh |
| Shri Raghuveer Tukaram Khedkar |
Art |
Maharashtra |
| Shri Rajastapathi Kaliappa Goundar |
Art |
Tamil Nadu |
| Shri Rajendra Prasad |
Medicine |
Uttar Pradesh |
| Shri Rama Reddy Mamidi (Posthumous) |
Animal Husbandry |
Telangana |
| Shri Ramamurthy Sreedher |
Radio Broadcasting |
Delhi |
| Shri Ramchandra Godbole & Ms. Suneeta Godbole (Duo) |
Medicine |
Chhattisgarh |
| Shri Ratilal Borisagar |
Literature and Education |
Gujarat |
| Shri Rohit Sharma |
Sports |
Maharashtra |
| Ms. S G Susheelamma |
Social Work |
Karnataka |
| Shri Sangyusang S Pongener |
Art |
Nagaland |
| Sant Niranjan Dass |
Spiritualism |
Punjab |
| Shri Sarat Kumar Patra |
Art |
Odisha |
| Shri Saroj Mandal |
Medicine |
West Bengal |
| Shri Satish Shah (Posthumous) |
Art |
Maharashtra |
| Shri Satyanarayan Nuwal |
Trade and Industry |
Maharashtra |
| Ms. Savita Punia |
Sports |
Haryana |
| Prof. Shafi Shauq |
Literature and Education |
Jammu and Kashmir |
| Shri Shashi Shekhar Vempati |
Literature and Education |
Karnataka |
| Shri Shrirang Devaba Lad |
Agriculture |
Maharashtra |
| Ms. Shubha Venkatesha Iyengar |
Science and Engineering |
Karnataka |
| Shri Shyam Sundar |
Medicine |
Uttar Pradesh |
| Shri Simanchal Patro |
Art |
Odisha |
| Ms. Sivasankari |
Literature and Education |
Tamil Nadu |
| Dr. Suresh Hanagavadi |
Medicine |
Karnataka |
| Swami Brahmdev Ji Maharaj |
Social Work |
Rajasthan |
| Shri T T Jagannathan (Posthumous) |
Trade and Industry |
Karnataka |
| Shri Taga Ram Bheel |
Art |
Rajasthan |
| Shri Tarun Bhattacharya |
Art |
West Bengal |
| Shri Techi Gubin |
Social Work |
Arunachal Pradesh |
| Shri ThiruvaarurBakthavathsalam |
Art |
Tamil Nadu |
| Ms. Tripti Mukherjee |
Art |
West Bengal |
| Shri Veezhinathan Kamakoti |
Science and Engineering |
Tamil Nadu |
| Shri Vempaty Kutumba Sastry |
Literature and Education |
Andhra Pradesh |
| Shri Vladimer Mestvirishvili (Posthumous) |
Sports |
Georgia |
| Shri Yumnam Jatra Singh (Posthumous) |
Art |
Manipur |
Conclusion
On the occasion of Republic Day, the Padma Awards 2026 were given to 131 recipients. Every year, the Padma awards are announced to celebrate the contributions of people who have gone out of their way to bring laurels to the nation. The beauty of these awards is that it doesn’t look for caste, creed or gender while honouring people for their work. The Padma awards are divided into three categories: Padma Vibhushan, Padma Bhushan and Padma Shri. Each award honours different levels of distinguished service. Padma Vibhushan is the second-highest award, Padma Bhushan is the third-highest, while Padma Shri is the fourth-highest award given to citizens of the country. This year, actor Dharmendra, industrialist Uday Kotak and singer Alka Yagnik have received the Padma Awards.