Padma Awards 2026 Announced: Celebrating Service Beyond the Spotlight

Ahead of Republic Day 2026, revealed a provisional list of Padma Awards 2026 awardees. The list highlights individuals who have made sustained contributions across healthcare, education, social service, traditional arts, environment, and livelihood generation. Many awardees are grassroots workers from remote and underserved regions, reflecting India’s continued focus on recognizing unsung heroes who have created lasting social impact.

Why in News?

A provisional list of Padma Awards 2026 recipients has been released ahead of Republic Day, recognizing individuals for long-standing contributions across diverse fields, with a strong focus on grassroots service and social impact.

What Are the Padma Awards?

• The Padma Awards are among India’s highest civilian honors, announced annually on the occasion of Republic Day.
• Instituted in 1954, the awards are given in three categories Padma Vibhushan, Padma Bhushan, and Padma Shri.
• They recognize exceptional service in fields such as art, literature, science, medicine, social work, public affairs, sports, and civil service.
• The awards aim to honour excellence as well as selfless service, often spotlighting individuals whose work has remained outside mainstream attention.

Key Theme of Padma Awards 2026

• The Padma Awards 2026 are expected to continue the government’s emphasis on “unsung heroes”.
• According to sources, many awardees have worked quietly for decades at the grassroots level.
• Their contributions span healthcare delivery in rural areas, education for the underprivileged, sanitation, environmental sustainability, livelihood creation, and preservation of traditional arts and heritage.
• Several awardees are also reported to belong to marginalized communities, reinforcing the inclusive spirit of the honours.

Diversity of Awardees and Regional Representation

• The provisional list reflects wide regional diversity, with awardees drawn from different states, cultures, and linguistic backgrounds.
• Individuals from remote and underserved regions feature prominently, highlighting efforts to decentralize national recognition.
• This approach ensures that contributions from rural India, tribal areas, and lesser-known regions receive equal acknowledgement alongside achievements from urban centres.

Notable Names in the Provisional List

• According to sources, the Padma Awards 2026 list includes names such as Kailash Chandra Pant, Brij Lal Bhat, Dr Shyam Sundar, Budhri Tati, Kollakkayil Devaki Amma, and several others.
• The list includes 45 individuals, some of whom are social workers, traditional artists, educators, healers, and community leaders.
• In one case, a husband-wife duo has also been included, reflecting joint contributions to society.
• The official categorization of awards is expected to be announced with the final list.

Provisional List of Padma Awardees (As Per Sources)

According to sources, the provisional list includes the following names,

1. Anke Gowda
2. Armida Fernandez
3. Bhagwandas Raikwar
4. Bhiklya Ladakya Dhinda
5. Brij Lal Bhat
6. Budhri Tati
7. Charan Hembram
8. Chiranji Lal Yadav
9. Dharmiklal Chunilal Pandya
10. Gafruddin Mewati Jogi
11. Hally War
12. Inderjit Singh Sidhu
13. K Pajanivel
14. Kailash Chandra Pant
15. Khem Raj Sundriyal
16. Kollakkayil Devaki Amma G
17. Kumarasamy Thangaraj
18. Mahendra Kumar Mishra
19. Mir Hajibhai Kasambhai
20. Mohan Nagar
21. Naresh Chandra Dev Varma
22. Nilesh Vinodchandra Mandlewala
23. Nuruddin Ahmed
24. Othuvar Thiruthani Swaminathan
25. Padma Gurmet
26. Pokhila Lekthepi
27. Punniamurthy Natesan
28. R Krishnan
29. Raghupat Singh
30. Raghuveer Tukaram Khedkar
31. Rajastapathi Kaliappa Goundar
32. Rama Reddy Mamidi
33. Ramchandra Godbole and Sunita Godbole
34. S G Susheelamma
35. Sangyusang S Pongener
36. Shafi Shauq
37. Shrirang Devaba Lad
38. Shyam Sundar
39. Simanchal Patro
40. Suresh Hanagavadi
41. Taga Ram Bheel
42. Techi Gubin
43. Thiruvaarur Bakthavathsalam
44. Vishwa Bandhu
45. Yumnam Jatra Singh

Historical Background of Padma Awards

Aspect	Details
Year of Institution	1954
Instituted	Along With Bharat Ratna
Original Categories	Pahela Varg, Dusra Varg, Tisra Varg
Renaming Year	1955
Authority for	Renaming Presidential Notification
Present Names	Padma Vibhushan, Padma Bhushan, Padma Shri
Nature of Awards	Civilian honours (non-military)

Categories of Padma Awards

Category	Level	Purpose
Padma Vibhushan	Second-highest civilian award	Exceptional and distinguished service
Padma Bhushan	Third-highest civilian award	Distinguished service of a high order
Padma Shri	Fourth-highest civilian award	Distinguished service in any field

Eligibility Criteria

Parameter	Details
Eligible Persons	All individuals irrespective of race, gender, occupation or position
Government Servants	Not eligible
Exceptions	Doctors and scientists employed by government
Posthumous Awards	Generally not given
Posthumous Exception	Allowed in highly deserving cases
Gap for Higher Award	Minimum 5 years
Relaxation of Gap	Allowed in exceptional cases by Awards Committee
Nomination Type	Public nomination allowed
Self-Nomination	Permitted

Selection Process

Stage	Details
Nominations Evaluated By	Padma Awards Committee
Committee Constitution	Annually by Prime Minister
Head of Committee	Cabinet Secretary
Recommendation	Submitted To Prime Minister and President
Final Approval	Authority President of India
Award Ceremony	Timing Usually March or April
Award Items	Sanad (certificate) + Medallion

Other Key Features of Padma Awards

Feature	Details
Annual Cap	120 awards per year
Exclusions from	Cap Posthumous awards, NRIs, foreign nationals, OCIs
Title Status	Does not confer a title
Usage Restriction	Cannot be used as prefix or suffix
Example (Incorrect)	Padma Shri Mohan
Nature of Honour	Recognition, not a designation
Disciplines Covered Under Padma Awards	Field. Art, Social Work, Public Affairs, Science and Engineering, Trade and, Industry, Medicine, Literature and Education, Sports, Civil Service, Other fields of public service