Padma Awards 2026: the year's public life and governance honourees

The Padma Awards 2026 recognised a group of figures from public life, politics and the civil service, honouring careers spent in governance, administration and public institutions. Recognised in the fields of public affairs and civil service, this group includes former office holders and long serving public figures, several of them honoured posthumously. Public life is a regular presence on the Padma lists, reflecting the value placed on service to the state and its institutions.