The Padma Awards 2026 list is out, and it is packed with big names and quieter achievers, making it one of the Latest News in India right now. This year, the President approved 131 Padma Awards (two duo cases counted as one), across Padma Vibhushan (5), Padma Bhushan (13) and Padma Shri (113). The official announcement also appeared on the government’s social feed, including PIB India’s X post.
Padma Awards 2026 Winners List: Highlights and Where to Read the Full Names
The honours span art, cinema, music, public affairs, medicine, social work, science, sports, literature, and community leadership. Names are listed with field and state, so it is easy to spot representation across regions. The Padma Awards are traditionally announced on the eve of Republic Day, and the 2026 list followed the same pattern, triggering instant reactions across TV tickers and social media threads. Small details, big moments.
As per the official note, 19 awardees are women, 6 are Foreigners/NRI/PIO/OCI, and 16 honours are posthumous. The Padma Vibhushan list includes Shri Dharmendra Singh Deol (Posthumous), former Supreme Court judge K T Thomas, violinist Ms. N Rajam, scholar P Narayanan, and V S Achuthanandhan (Posthumous). The awards are usually presented at Rashtrapati Bhawan around March or April, so the ceremony is already on.
Names People Are Talking About and the “People’s Padma” Angle
The Padma Bhushan section carries widely discussed names such as Alka Yagnik, Mammootty, industrialist Uday Kotak, and tennis icon Vijay Amritraj. But the chatter is also about “People’s Padma”, the idea that folk artists, grassroots workers, educators, and local innovators get space alongside celebrities. It feels like a wider sweep this time.
