Padma Awards 2026 Announced: Veteran Actor Dharmendra Posthumously Honoured; 15 Dignitaries from Maharashtra Recognised

New Delhi, Jan 2026 : The Government of India announced the prestigious Padma Awards 2026 today, one of the nation’s highest civilian honours. This year, a total of 131 individuals have been recognised for their outstanding contributions across various fields including arts, sports, science, trade, and social service. Among them, 15 distinguished personalities hail from Maharashtra. The state has received one Padma Vibhushan, three Padma Bhushan, and eleven Padma Shri awards.

The Padma Awards are traditionally announced by the Ministry of Home Affairs on the eve of Republic Day each year. For 2026, the awards cover contributions in multiple areas of national significance. Of the 131 awardees, five have been honoured with the Padma Vibhushan, 13 with the Padma Bhushan, and 113 with the Padma Shri. This year, 19 women, six foreign or Non-Resident Indians, and 16 posthumous recipients are included.

Veteran Hindi film actor Dharmendra Singh Deol has been posthumously awarded the Padma Vibhushan. In the Padma Bhushan category, three notable individuals from Maharashtra have been selected: renowned playback singer Alka Yagnik (Arts), advertising industry stalwart Piyush Pandey (posthumously – Arts), and banking sector luminary Uday Kotak (Trade & Industry).

For the Padma Shri, 11 Maharashtrian dignitaries have been recognised. This includes cricketer Rohit Sharma (Sports), Armida Fernandes (Medicine), social worker Janardan Bapurao Bothe, and agriculturalist Shrirang Devaba Lad. In the arts category, awardees are Bhiklya Ladkya Dhinda, Madhavan Rangnathan, Raghuveer Tukaram Khedkar, and Satish Shah (posthumously). In Trade & Industry, Ashok Khade and Satyanarayan Nuwal have been honoured, while Juzer Vasi is recognised in Science & Engineering.

The awardees will receive their honours in a special ceremony at Rashtrapati Bhavan, to be presided over by the President of India, scheduled for March-April 2026.

These awards not only celebrate individual excellence but also reflect Maharashtra’s rich contribution to arts, sports, social service, and industry on the national stage.