The list of Padma awardees was announced on January 25, 2026, recognising 45 unsung heroes from across the country for their distinguished service in diverse fields, including social work, literature and education, healthcare, public service and community welfare. The awardees include individuals who have worked quietly at the grassroots for decades, many of them from marginalised communities, Dalit and backward sections, primitive tribes and remote or difficult terrains. This year’s list reflects a strong focus on people who have dedicated their lives to serving ‘Divyangjan’, women, children, Dalits and tribal communities, while promoting education, healthcare, sanitation, sustainability and livelihoods.

The Padma Awards are among the highest civilian honours of the country and are conferred in three categories—Padma Vibhushan, Padma Bhushan and Padma Shri. Padma Vibhushan is awarded for exceptional and distinguished service, Padma Bhushan for distinguished service of a high order, and Padma Shri for distinguished service in any field.

Actor Dharmendra Deol and former Kerala chief minister VS Achuthanandan have been awarded the Padma Vibhushan posthumously. Former Jharkhand chief minister Shibu Soren, singer Alka Yagnik, tennis maestro Vijay Amritraj, Malayalam superstar Mammootty, and advertising veteran Piyush Pandey are among the recipients of the Padma Bhushan. Cricketers Rohit Sharma and Harmanpreet Kaur have been honoured with the Padma Shri.

Many awardees come from marginalized backgrounds. Their contributions range from tackling local health challenges and pioneering medical initiatives to preserving indigenous culture, protecting ecology, reviving traditional arts and promoting cleanliness and social welfare. Mohan Nagar from Madhya Pradesh was recognised for his work in environmental conservation. Anke Gowda from Karnataka, once a bus conductor, has been recognised for setting up the world’s largest free-access library called ‘Pustak Mane’, comprising more than two million books in 20 languages, along with rare manuscripts. Armida Fernandes, a Mumbai-based pediatrician from Maharashtra, was awarded for setting up Asia’s first human milk bank, improving the survival prospects of infants. Bhiklya Ladakya Dhinda, a 90-year old tribal Tarpa player—a musical instrument made of bottle gourd and bamboo—from Maharashtra and a distinguished social worker from Jammu and Kashmir, Brij Lal Bhat, are also on the list.

Celebrating the unsung who toil day and night and have deeply influenced the larger community but have never got their due is what Padma awards under the Modi government........

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