Padma Awards 2026 announced: 131 honourees named ahead of Republic Day
The Centre has announced the Padma Awards for 2026, with 131 civilian honours cleared across Padma Vibhushan, Padma Bhushan and Padma Shri categories. The list includes posthumous awards, women awardees, and several names from arts, public affairs, industry and sports, ahead of Republic Day celebrations.
What was announced
On 25 January 2026, the Padma Awards list for 2026 was made public on the eve of Republic Day. President Droupadi Murmu approved 131 civilian honours spread across three categories: Padma Vibhushan, Padma Bhushan and Padma Shri.
As with previous years, the Padma honours cover a wide spread of fields including arts, public affairs, medicine, literature and education, science and engineering, social work, civil services, trade and industry, and sports.
Key takeaways from the 2026 list
- Total awards approved: 131 across the three Padma categories.
- The 2026 list includes women awardees, as well as foreigners/NRI/PIO/OCI recipients.
- Posthumous honours are also part of the 2026 awards, reflecting recognition across generations and sectors.
The Padma Awards are traditionally announced around Republic Day and the investiture ceremony typically takes place later in the year at Rashtrapati Bhavan. The awards remain one of India’s biggest civilian recognitions, and the annual list tends to trigger both celebration and debate about who gets included.
Why it matters
Beyond celebrity names, the Padma list often spotlights contributors from outside the national limelight—people whose work in community service, health, education, environment and culture has had strong local impact. The annual announcement also offers a snapshot of the priorities and narratives that the government and selection process elevate at a given time.
With Republic Day on 26 January, the announcement adds to a packed national calendar of official ceremonies, commemorations and public events across India.