Padma Vibhushan for Dharmendra, Achuthanandan

New Delhi: TheCentre on Sunday announced the Padma Awards for 2026, approving 131 civilian honours across the Padma Vibhushan, Padma Bhushan and Padma Shri categories. The list includes several prominent names from public life, arts, cinema, literature, sports and public affairs, with five Padma Vibhushan, 13 Padma Bhushan and 113 Padma Shri awards this year.

The Padma Awards are announced annually on the occasion of Republic Day and are conferred by the President of India at ceremonial functions held at Rashtrapati Bhavan, usually in March or April.

This year’s list includes 19 women awardees, six foreigners or persons of Indian origin abroad, and 16 posthumous honours. The awards span diverse fields such as art, public affairs, medicine, literature and education, sports, science and engineering, social work, civil service, and trade and industry.

Among the Padma Vibhushan awardees are veteran actor Dharmendra Singh Deol (posthumous), former Kerala chief minister V S Achuthanandan (posthumous), classical violinist N Rajam, former Supreme Court judge K T Thomas, and noted writer P Narayanan. The highest civilian award category recognises “exceptional and distinguished service”.

The Padma Bhushan list features several renowned personalities, including singer Alka Yagnik, actor Mammootty, industrialist Uday Kotak, former Uttarakhand chief minister Bhagat Singh Koshyari, advertising veteran Piyush Pandey (posthumous), US-based Dr Nori Dattatreyudu, JMM Founder and former Jharkhand Chief Minister Shibu Soren, social leader Vellappally Natesan, and tennis icon Vijay Amritraj. The category honours “distinguished service of high order”.

The Padma Shri list for 2026 features a wide mix of nationally known figures and grassroots contributors, cutting across sports, arts, science, medicine and social work.

Indian cricket captain Rohit Sharma has been awarded the Padma Shri, along with women’s hockey player Savita Punia and women’s national cricket team captain Harmanpreet Kaur Bhullar. The list also includes former UGC Chairman and JNU Vice Chancellor Mamidala Jagadesh Kumar, and veteran actor Satish Shah (posthumous).

Prime Minister Narendra Modi congratulated the awardees on X, saying, “Congratulations to all the Padma Awardees for their outstanding contributions to our nation. Their excellence, dedication and service across diverse fields enrich the fabric of our society. The honour reflects the spirit of commitment and excellence that continues to inspire generations.”