Padma Awards 2026: Rohit Sharma awarded Padma Shri, Dharmendra honoured with Padma Vibhushan (posthumous) – Check full list 

The government on Sunday announced 131 Padma Awards for 2026, comprising five Padma Vibhushan, 13 Padma Bhushan and 113 Padma Shri honours. The awardees represent a diverse tapestry of individuals, including 19 women and 16 Posthumous awardees. Actor Dharamendra, former Kerala Chief Minister VS Achuthanandan and Jharkhand Mukti Morcha founder Shibu Soren have been conferred the Padma Vibhushan posthumously.

Other Padma Bhushan awardees include cricketer Rohit Sharma, singer Alka Yagnik, former Uttarakhand Chief Minister Bhagat Singh Koshyari, actor Mammootty and banker Uday Kotak.

The Padma Awards are among India’s highest civilian honours and are announced annually on the eve of Republic Day. They are presented in three categories for distinguished service of a higher order and Padma Shri for distinguished service in any field of activity. The list also features 6 persons from the category of Foreigners/NRI/PIO/OCI.

This year, the President has approved the conferment of 131 Padma Awards, reflecting a diverse tapestry of individuals as this year’s awardees represent an amusing mix of business icons, folk artists, politicians and medical pioneers.

Padma Awards 2026: Rohit, Hamranpreet, Alka Yagnik and other recipients 

Dharmendra Singh Deol has been honoured posthumously with the Padma Vibhushan for his exceptional contribution to Art. While Alka Yagnik has been conferred with the Padma Bhushan for her contribution to the field of Music. The list also recognizes sporting excellence. Both Indian world cup winning captains for cricket Rohit Sharma and Harmanpreet Kaur have been awarded with a Padma Shri. 

This year the list of awardees also included 45 unsung heroes who were recognised by the government for their exemplary work on grassroots, where they toiled to improve the quality of life of subdued communities across the country. 

The Padma Awards are organised into a clear hierarchy based on the scale and nature of the contribution. Padma Vibhushan is the highest among them, reserved for “exceptional and distinguished service” that has a profound national or global impact. 

The Padma Bhushan follows as the second-highest, recognising “distinguished service of a high order”, while the Padma Shri is the third-highest, awarded for “distinguished service” in any specific field.

The awards are given in various disciplines/ fields of activities, viz.- art, social work, public affairs, science and engineering, trade and industry, medicine, literature and education, sports, civil service, etc.

This year the list of awardees also included 45 unsung heroes who were recognised by the government of India for their exemplary work on grassroots, where they toiled to improve the quality of life of subdued communities across the country. 

Padma Awards 2026: Check Full list 

The 2026 list is a powerful mix of global icons and “unsung heroes” from the grassroots level, particularly highlighting individuals from marginalized communities and remote regions. The complete list of all the awardees has been posted below.