Padma Awards 2026: Neeraj Chopra, Abhinav Bindra, Leander Paes Lead List Of Sports Nominees

The list of sportspersons recommended for the Padma Awards 2026 features some of India's most iconic athletes, including Olympic champions Neeraj Chopra, Abhinav Bindra, and tennis legend Leander Paes. The recommendations were made by the Sports Authority of India (SAI) and respective national sports federations, recognizing exceptional achievements and contributions to Indian sports.

In the Padma Vibhushan category, India's first individual Olympic gold medallist Abhinav Bindra has been nominated. Bindra, who won the historic gold in the 10m air rifle event at the 2008 Beijing Olympics, was earlier honored with the Padma Bhushan in 2009. Tennis veteran Leander Paes, winner of 18 Grand Slam titles and the 1996 Atlanta Olympic bronze medallist, has also been recommended for the Padma Vibhushan. Paes previously received the Padma Shri in 2001 and the Padma Bhushan in 2014.

For the Padma Bhushan, Olympic javelin champion Neeraj Chopra and shooter Gagan Narang have been recommended. Chopra, who claimed gold at the Tokyo 2020 Olympics and silver at the Paris 2024 Games, is also the reigning World Champion. He was awarded the Padma Shri in 2022. Narang, who won the 10m air rifle bronze at the London 2012 Olympics, is already a Padma Shri awardee (2010).

The Padma Shri category includes several top names such as Manu Bhaker, Harmanpreet Singh, Randhir Singh, Viren Rasquinha, Sandip Pradhan, and Dr. Dinshaw Pardiwala. Manu Bhaker made history at the Paris 2024 Olympics by becoming the first Indian to win two medals in a single Games, both bronze in air pistol events. Indian men's hockey team captain Harmanpreet Singh is also on the list for leading India to an Olympic bronze in Paris.

Randhir Singh, the current President of the Olympic Council of Asia, and Viren Rasquinha, a former Indian hockey captain, have also been recognized. Sandip Pradhan, former Director General of the Sports Authority of India, and Dr. Dinshaw Pardiwala, India's leading sports injury specialist, round out the list of nominees.

The final list of Padma Awardees will be announced by the Union Government ahead of Republic Day 2026. Further updates and detailed profiles of the awardees will be available on the official Padma Awards website once the names are finalized.