Actor Dharmendra, former Kerala chief minister VS Achuthanandan, former Supreme Court judge KT Thomas, violin maestro N Rajam, and prominent journalist P Narayanan received India’s second-highest civilian honor, the Padma Vibhushan, on Sunday. In a statement, the government announced 131 Padma Awards for 2026. This total includes five Padma Vibhushan, 13 Padma Bhushan, and 113 Padma Shri awards. Two cases counted awards for two individuals as one.
India Announces 131 Padma Awards
Separately, President Droupadi Murmu present the country’s highest peacetime gallantry medal, the Ashoka Chakra, to Indian astronaut and fighter pilot Group Captain Shubhanshu Shukla on Monday. He was the pilot for the historic Axiom Mission to the International Space Station (ISS) last year. The award will be given at the Republic Day parade.
Colonel Sofiya Qureshi, one of the two women officers who spoke to the media during Operation Sindoor, received the Vishisht Seva Medal for distinguished service.
Honoring Stars from Cricket and Cinema
Jharkhand Mukti Morcha patriarch Shibu Soren, adman Piyush Pandey, former chief minister Bhagat Singh Koshyari, politician VK Malhotra, actor Mammooty, tennis legend Vijay Amritraj, singer Alka Yagnik, and banker Uday Kotak were among the 13 Padma Awards recipients.
Cricket stars Rohit Sharma and Harmanpreet Kaur received the Padma Shri along with veteran hockey coach Baldev Singh. Awards also honored to actors Gadde Babu Rajendra Prasad and R Madhavan, and former JNU vice chancellor Mamidala Jagadesh Kumar.
“Congratulations to all the Padma awardees for their outstanding contributions to our nation. Their dedication and service across diverse fields enrich our society. The honor reflects the spirit of commitment and excellence that continues to inspire generations,” said PM Modi on X.
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