Padma Awards 2026 Winners List: Who Are the 45 Padma Shri Awardees in the Unsung Heroes Category?

The Padma Awards 2026 winner list recognise 45 persons under the Padma Shri Unsung Heroes category for their contributions across fields such as social service, education, culture, and public welfare.

The Union government has released the Padma awards list for 2026, announcing the names on the eve of Republic Day. The honours recognise individuals from across India for distinguished service in diverse fields. Among the Padma awardees this year are 75-year-old Anke Gowda and retired Deputy Inspector General of Police Inderjit Singh Sidhu.

The Padma awards — Padma Vibhushan, Padma Bhushan and Padma Shri — are among India’s highest civilian honours. The list is traditionally published on 25 January, ahead of Republic Day celebrations. The formal investiture ceremony is held later at Rashtrapati Bhavan, usually during March or April each year.

Padma awards 2026: full list of Padma awardees

The government has named 45 Padma awardees for Republic Day 2026, covering social work, public service, arts, literature and several other areas. The list includes both well-known personalities and lesser-known contributors whose work spans decades and regions, reflecting recognition of long-term commitment rather than public visibility alone.

Padma awards nominations process and focus on inclusivity

The Padma Awards are among India's most prestigious civilian honours, recognising outstanding contributions across fields such as social service, art, culture, education, public affairs, and more.

Awardees hail from diverse backgrounds and regions, showcasing the nation's rich cultural and social tapestry. These honours celebrate individuals who have devoted their lives to serving society and excelling in their fields, whether at the grassroots level or on a national stage.

The nomination window for the 2026 Padma awards opened on 15 March last year and closed on 31 July. Recommendations were accepted only through the Rashtriya Puraskar Portal, which is designed as a transparent digital system that allows citizens, institutions and state bodies to participate directly in suggesting names.

Officials state that the Padma awards selection process places strong emphasis on wider representation. The government has stressed nominations from marginalised groups, including women, persons with disabilities, members of scheduled castes and scheduled tribes, and people involved in selfless work at the grassroots, so that contributions outside major urban centres are also formally recognised.

While the full Padma awards list emerges every year on the eve of Republic Day, the awards themselves are presented later at Rashtrapati Bhavan in a formal ceremony. Awardees attend the function in March or April, when the President of India confers the honours in person during separate investiture sessions.

The 2026 Padma awards list shows the government’s aim of honouring both prominent figures and unsung contributors. With names drawn from varied regions, professions and communities, the announcement ahead of Republic Day 2026 reflects continued use of the Rashtriya Puraskar Portal and an ongoing focus on inclusive recognition in national civilian honours.