Padma Awards 2026: Full List of All 131 Awardees as President Murmu Confers India's Highest Civilian Honours

Padma Awards 2026 just got more real. On May 25, President Droupadi Murmu presided over the first Civil Investiture Ceremony at Rashtrapati Bhavan, conferring honours on 66 of the 131 selected awardees. Prime Minister Narendra Modi, Home Minister Amit Shah, and Vice President C.P. Radhakrishnan were all present. The list reads like a cross-section of India itself — cinema legends, unsung grassroots workers, cricket captains, doctors, and a 100-year-old freedom fighter.

Not every name on this list will make a headline. That is, in some ways, the point.

Why the Padma Awards 2026 Matter More Than You Think

The Padma Awards are among India's highest civilian honours, ranking just below the Bharat Ratna. They are announced every year on Republic Day and conferred in three categories: Padma Vibhushan for exceptional and distinguished service, Padma Bhushan for distinguished service of a high order, and Padma Shri for distinguished service in any field.

For 2026, President Droupadi Murmu approved a total of 131 Padma awards, comprising five Padma Vibhushan, 13 Padma Bhushan, and 113 Padma Shri honours. Of these, 66 awardees received their insignia at this first ceremony, while the remaining recipients will be honoured during a second round to be held later.

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What makes this year's list stand out is not just the famous faces. There is a strong focus on representing every corner of the country, with many winners coming from small villages or tribal areas. Out of the 131 awardees, 19 are women, and the list includes 6 people from the category of foreigners, NRIs, PIOs, or OCIs. There are 16 posthumous awardees, including famous actors and political leaders who passed away recently.

Padma Vibhushan 2026: The Highest Honour This Year

Veteran Bollywood actor Dharmendra and former Kerala Chief Minister V.S. Achuthanandan have been posthumously awarded the Padma Vibhushan. The full Padma Vibhushan list also features classical violinist N. Rajam, retired judge K.T. Thomas for Public Affairs, and P. Narayanan for Literature and Education from Kerala.

Dharmendra's award was received by his family. The Padma Vibhushan list featured late Dharmendra, recognised for decades of work in Indian cinema, along with Dr. N. Rajam. His daughter Ahana broke down during the ceremony as wife Hema Malini accepted the honour on behalf of the family.

Padma Bhushan 2026: Thirteen Distinguished Personalities

The Padma Bhushan, which honours distinguished service of high order, includes singer Alka Yagnik, tennis legend Vijay Amritraj, Malayalam superstar Mammootty, former Uttarakhand CM Bhagat Singh Koshyari, US-based scientist Nori Dattatreyudu, banker and businessman Uday Kotak, and Kerala community leader Vellappally Natesan. Piyush Pandey (advertising veteran), V.K. Malhotra, and former Jharkhand CM Shibu Soren were honoured posthumously.

The list also includes Kallipatti Ramasamy Palaniswamy from Tamil Nadu, S.K.M. Maeilanandhan, and Shatavadhani R. Ganesh.

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Padma Shri 2026: 113 Awardees From Every Walk of Life

This is where the list gets genuinely moving.

Actors R. Madhavan and Prosenjit Chatterjee received the Padma Shri, while Indian cricket captains Rohit Sharma and Harmanpreet Kaur were also honoured for their historic World Cup-winning leadership.

Star Indian batter Rohit Sharma, Praveen Kumar, Harmanpreet Kaur, Baldev Singh, K. Pajanivel, and Savita Punia received Padma Shri for their contribution in the field of sports.

Other notable Padma Shri awardees include Armida Fernandez from Maharashtra in Medicine, Dr. Padma Gurmet from Ladakh in Medicine, Dr. Punniamurthy Natesan from Tamil Nadu for veterinary science, Dr. Shyam Sundar from Uttar Pradesh in Medicine, Budhri Tati from Chhattisgarh for Social Work, Charan Hembram from Odisha in Literature and Education, and Gafruddin Mewati Jogi from Rajasthan in Arts.

A large portion of the Padma Shri winners are grassroots workers, such as 100-year-old freedom fighter Libia Lobo Sardesai.

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How Are Padma Awardees Chosen?

Many people assume these awards are handed out through political connections. The actual process is more structured than that.

The Padma Awards Committee, formed by the Prime Minister every year, is headed by the Cabinet Secretary and includes the Home Secretary in the selection process. Nominations can be submitted by any citizen of India. The committee evaluates them against criteria of lifetime achievement, national contribution, and social impact before a final list is placed before the President for approval.

Ceremony Highlights: Emotion, Legacy, and National Pride

The ceremony at Rashtrapati Bhavan brought together a wide cross-section of India's achievers, from nationally recognised public figures and industry leaders to folk artistes, doctors, and academics who have spent decades contributing to their fields, often away from the national spotlight.



Alka Yagnik, visibly moved, described the honour as something she would carry for a lifetime. Harmanpreet Kaur's presence drew one of the biggest applause of the evening. Home Minister Amit Shah later hosted a dinner for the awardees, described as a celebration of grassroots change-makers.

Closing Thoughts

There is something worth sitting with here. Among 131 names, most of the people receiving a Padma Shri this year are not famous. They are folk artists, tribal educators, small-town doctors, agricultural scientists. People who spent decades doing quiet, necessary work. The ceremony at Rashtrapati Bhavan gave them the same room, the same stage, and the same set of eyes as Rohit Sharma and Mammootty.

That is the version of the Padma Awards that matters most.

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Disclaimer: This article is based on information available across the web. Parchar Manch does not take responsibility for its complete accuracy, as the content could not be fully verified.