Republic Day 2026: Retired SC judge, violinist, Bollywood legends among those honoured with Padma Awards

FRom Bollywood legends to the restrained handloom clusters of Odisha, the lean of this twelvemonth’s Padma awardees honours degree those who feature shaped the nation’s cultural, social, and economic landscape. These are the people who represent India’s spirit of resilience and mastery, proving that whether through a violin’s string, a judicial reform, or a natural dye, their contributions have left an indelible mark on the Indian story.Padma VibhushanDharmendra Singh DeolDharmendra, the Hindi cinema legend, starred in over 300 films in a career spanning seven decades. The actor, who died on November 24 last year, was part of several hits, including Sholay, Mera Gaon Mera Desh, Chupke Chupke, and Anupama.VS Achuthanandhan (Public Affairs)Achuthanandan, the last of the living 34 leaders who walked out of the CPI Executive and formed the CPI(M) in 1964, passed away in July 2025, succumbing to age related illnesses. A lifelong champion of workers’ rights, land reforms and social justice, Achuthanandan served as Chief Minister from 2006 to 2011. He was elected to the state Assembly seven times and served three terms as Leader of the Opposition.N Rajam (Art)Legendary violinist N Rajam is widely known for developing the Gayaki Ang, which mimics the nuances, inflections, and emotional depth of the human voice in Hindustani classical music.In 2012, she was conferred the Sangeet Natak Akademi Fellowship, the highest honour bestowed by India’s national academy for music, dance and dramaKT Thomas (Civil Service)A former Supreme Court judge championed law reforms, KT Thomas was mostly known for presiding over the top court bench that confirmed the death sentence in the Rajiv Gandhi assassination case.After retiring in 2002, he headed the police reforms monitoring committee constituted by the Court.P NarayananEminent journalist and writer P. Narayanan is the author of 10 books and has translated around 100 works. He served as a longtime member of the national executive committee of the Bharatiya Jana Sangh and is a co-founder of Janmaboomi, the Malayalam mouthpiece of the RSS. He has also written extensively for the Organiser. ALSO READ | In Padma Awards winners list, inspiring stories of excellence, hardship and tragedies Padma BhushanPiyush Pandey (Art)Celebrated adman who revolutionised the industry, Pandey was the face of Ogilvy India. He was the brains behind Cadbury’s “Kuch Khaas Hai”, Asian Paints’ “Har Ghar Kuchh Kehta Hai”, and over 100 such iconic campaigns.VK Malhotra (Public Affairs)The veteran politician known for his role promoting sports, especially archery in India. He was the first president of the BJP’s Delhi unit. He was also elected the chief metropolitan councillor of Delhi in 1967.Uday Kotak (Trade and Industry)A banking titan who transformed the landscape of modern finance in India.He founded the Kotak Mahindra Bank, a trusted private bank that has grown to over 2,000 branches and provided employment to lakhs across the country.ALSO READ | Exclusive: Prosenjit Chatterjee dedicates his Padma Shri to his late friend, filmmaker Rituparno GhoshVellappally Natesan (Public Affairs)Natesan, 89, is the longtime chief of Sree Narayana Dharma Paripalana Yogam (SNDP), an outfit that espouses the cause of the Ezhava community in Kerala. He has been awarded the second-highest civilian honour for his role in empowering underprivileged students by providing access to quality education. His son Tushar Vellappally heads Bharat Dharma Jana Sena (BDJS), an ally of the BJP in the state.Padma ShriAshok Khade (Trade and Industry)A self-made entrepreneur, Khade rose from a Dalit cobbler family in Sangli district of Maharashtra to establish DAS Offshore Engineering, a cutting-edge offshore fabrication firm.Niranjan Dass (Spiritualism)Sant Niranjan Dass is the head of the Dera Sachkhand Ballan. A spiritual leader for over 75 years, he has been credited for establishing Sarwan Dass Model Charitable Eye Hospital and the Sarwan Dass Model School.Veezhinathan Kamakoti (Science and Engineering)IIT Madras director V Kamakoti is known for his work in computer architecture research and national security.He is a member of the National Security Advisory Board, and is also part of the technology committees of the National Stock Exchange and the Reserve Bank of India.K Vijay Kumar (Civil Service) Retired IPS officer K Vijay Kumar from Tamil Nadu who led the force that ended the reign of forest brigand Veerapan. Known as “Super Cop”, he held several top positions including that of director-general of the Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF) for two years from 2010. He also served in the Special Protection Group (SPG), providing security to the late Prime Minister Rajiv Gandhi. Retired in 2012.