NEW DELHI, Jan 25 (IANS) — On the eve of India’s 77th Republic Day, President Droupadi Murmu has approved the conferment of 131 Padma Awards, celebrating excellence across cinema, politics, sports, and social service.
The 2026 honors list is headlined by posthumous Padma Vibhushan awards for legendary actor Dharmendra and veteran CPM leader V.S. Achuthanandan, while the world of sports sees cricket icons Rohit Sharma and Harmanpreet Kaur being honored with the Padma Shri.
The Highest Honors: Padma Vibhushan Recipients
The Padma Vibhushan, India’s second-highest civilian award, has been granted to five distinguished personalities this year:
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Dharmendra (Posthumous): For his unparalleled contribution to Indian Cinema.
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V.S. Achuthanandan (Posthumous): For his lifelong service in Public Affairs and Kerala politics.
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K.T. Thomas: For his contributions to Public Affairs.
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N. Rajam: For her mastery as a classical violinist (Art).
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P. Narayanan: For excellence in Literature and Education.
Padma Bhushan: A Mix of Art, Industry, and Politics
Thirteen individuals were conferred the Padma Bhushan, including superstars and industry titans:
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Cinema & Art: Malayalam megastar Mammootty, legendary singer Alka Yagnik, and late advertising guru Piyush Pandey.
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Sports: Tennis maestro Vijay Amritraj.
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Politics & Social: JMM founder Shibu Soren (Posthumous), former Uttarakhand CM Bhagat Singh Koshyari, and SNDP Yogam leader Vellappally Natesan.
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Business & Medicine: Former Kotak Mahindra chief Uday Kotak and US-based oncologist Dr. Nori Dattatreyudu.
Padma Shri: Cricketing Legends and Unsung Heroes
The list of 113 Padma Shri awardees reflects India’s diverse talent pool, with a heavy emphasis on sports and culture:
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Cricket: Former men’s captain Rohit Sharma and current women’s captain Harmanpreet Kaur Bhullar recognized for their stellar careers.
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Hockey: Indian women’s goalkeeper Savita Punia.
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Cinema: Tollywood icon Prosenjit Chatterjee and veteran actor Satish Shah (Posthumous).
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Education: Former UGC Chairman and JNU VC Mamidala Jagadesh Kumar.
Awards Statistics at a Glance
President Murmu approved a total of 131 awards, which includes 2 “duo” cases. The breakdown is as follows:
| Award Category | Total Recipients |
| Padma Vibhushan | 5 |
| Padma Bhushan | 13 |
| Padma Shri | 113 |
| Women Awardees | 19 |
| Foreigners/NRI/PIO | 6 |
| Posthumous Awards | 16 |
The awards ceremony is scheduled to take place at Rashtrapati Bhavan later this year, where the President will formally present the honors.
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