Padma Awards 2026: Dharmendra, Piyush Pandey, Harmanpreet Kaur honoured

President Droupadi Murmu on Sunday conferred Padma awards on several distinguished personalities from the fields of cinema, sports, public affairs, banking and the arts, including veteran actor Dharmendra, Indian women’s cricket captain Harmanpreet Kaur, violinist N Rajam and banker Uday Kotak.

 

Dharmendra was conferred the Padma Vibhushan posthumously in the field of art. His wife and actor Hema Malini received the award on his behalf. The Ministry of Information and Broadcasting, in a post on X, described him as “one of the most versatile and successful actors in the history of Hindi cinema” and said he “left an indelible mark on Indian cinema through a career spanning over 300 films”. 

 

President Droupadi Murmu confers #PadmaVibhushan upon veteran actor #Dharmendra Singh Deol (Posthumous), popularly known as the ‘He-Man’ of Bollywood  One of the most versatile and successful actors in the history of Hindi cinema, he left an indelible mark on Indian cinema… pic.twitter.com/HQ2lwzMtXO

— PIB India (@PIB_India) May 25, 2026

 

Violinist N Rajam was also conferred the Padma Vibhushan in the field of art. Former Maharashtra Governor and ex-Uttarakhand chief minister Bhagat Singh Koshyari received the Padma Bhushan for public affairs, while banker Uday Kotak was honoured with the Padma Bhushan in the trade and industry category.

 

According to a government statement, Koshyari was recognised as a “distinguished social worker, educationist, journalist and devoted nationalist leader”.

 

Advertising veteran Piyush Pandey was awarded the Padma Bhushan posthumously in the field of art. The government described him as “a defining figure in Indian advertising” who “elevated Indian advertising on the global stage” and created more than 100 iconic campaigns, including “Mile Sur Mera Tumhara”.

 

Harmanpreet Kaur was conferred the Padma Shri in the sports category. The government said she was “one of the most dynamic and impactful cricketers of her generation” and credited her with leading India to its “historic first Women’s Cricket World Cup title”.

 

The Centre had announced 131 Padma awards on the eve of Republic Day this year, including five Padma Vibhushan, 13 Padma Bhushan and 113 Padma Shri honours. The list included 19 women awardees, six recipients from the foreigner/NRI/PIO/OCI category and 16 posthumous awards.

 

Among the Padma Vibhushan awardees were former Supreme Court judge K T Thomas, writer P Narayanan and former Kerala chief minister V S Achuthanandhan, who was honoured posthumously.

 

The Padma Bhushan awardees also included singer Alka Yagnik, actor Mammootty, tennis player Vijay Amritraj and social worker S K M Maeilanandhan.

 

Other Padma Shri recipients included cricketer Rohit Sharma, actor Prosenjit Chatterjee, sportsperson Savita Punia and writer Sivasankari.