National Current Affairs
President Droupadi Murmu Conferred Padma Awards on 131 Individuals in 2026
- 28 Jan 2026
- 3 min read
Why in News?
On the eve of India's 77th Republic Day (2026), the President approved a total of 131 Padma Awards, including 5 Padma Vibhushan, 13 Padma Bhushan, and 113 Padma Shri.
Key Points:
- Padma Vibhushan 2026:The Padma Vibhushan is awarded for exceptional and distinguished service. The 2026 recipients include:
- Dharmendra Singh Deol (posthumous) – Iconic film actor
- Justice (Retd) K.T. Thomas – Public Affairs
- N. Rajam – Classical Musician
- P. Narayanan – Literature and Education
- V.S. Achuthanandhan (posthumous) – Public Affairs
- Padma Bhushan:Thirteen individuals received the Padma Bhushan for distinguished service of a high order:
- Arts: Ms. Alka Yagnik, Shri Mammootty, Shri Shatavadhani R. Ganesh, and Shri Piyush Pandey (Posthumous).
- Public Affairs: Shri Shibu Soren (Posthumous), Shri Bhagat Singh Koshyari, Shri Vellappally Natesan, and Shri V.K. Malhotra (Posthumous).
- Industry: Shri Uday Kotak (Trade & Industry).
- Sports:Shri Vijay Amritraj (Sports).
- Medicine: Shri Kallipatti Ramasamy Palaniswamy and Dr. Nori Dattatreyudu.
- Padma Shri: Out of 113 recipients, several prominent achievers and "unsung heroes" were honoured:
- Sports: Rohit Sharma (Cricket), Harmanpreet Kaur (Cricket), and Savita Punia (Hockey).
- Education & Science: Former UGC chief Mamidala Jagadesh Kumar and IIT Madras director V. Kamakoti.
- Unsung Heroes: Anke Gowda (who built a library with 2 million books) and Armida Fernandez (founder of Asia's first human milk bank).
- Diversity: The 2026 Padma list features:
- 19 women awardees
- 16 posthumous honours
- 6 foreign/NRI/PIO/OCI recipients
- Significance:The awards underscore India’s recognition of contributions from both eminent figures and grassroots “unsung heroes” who have made significant impacts in society, culture, science, sports, and public life.
| Read More: Padma Awards |
