In Padma Awards winners list, inspiring stories of excellence, hardship and tragedies

The list names Anke Gowda, a former bus conductor from Karnataka; Armida Fernandes, a Mumbai-based paediatrician, and Suresh Hangavadi, a veteran haematologist.

A total of 45 individuals from across the country, overcame tremendous personal hardships and tragedies, not just to excel in their chosen fields, but also to serve society at large, were chosen for the Padma Shri award 2026 in the ‘unsung heroes’ category on the occasion of Republic Day.

The awardee list also includes Dharmiklal Chunilal Pandya, an exponent of ‘Maanbhatt’, a traditional Gujarati performing art form; and musician Taga Ram Bheel. (PTI)

The list includes Anke Gowda, a former bus conductor from Karnataka who set up the world’s largest free-access library, comprising over two million books in 20 languages, along with rare manuscripts; Armida Fernandes, a Mumbai-based paediatrician who set up Asia’s first human milk bank; Shyam Sundar, who developed an inexpensive test for the detection of black fever; and Suresh Hangavadi, veteran haematologist known for his works in the field of Haemophilia.

Ladakh-based Padma Gurmet, who promotes ancient Tibetan medicine; Punniamurthy Natesan, veterinary scientist from Tamil Nadu who used traditional medicine with modern science to treat animals; Kumarasamy Thangharaj, Hyderabad-based geneticist; and Nilesh Vinodchandra Mandlewala, the founder of Donate Life from Gujarat, who facilitates organ donation, were also included among the awardees.

Bundeli war art trainer Bhagwandas Raikwar from Madhya Pradesh; Puducherry’s K Pajanivel, who nurtured Silambam, an ancient Tamil weapon-based martial art form; Bhiklya Ladakya Dhinda, a 90-year-old tribal Tarpa player — a musical instrument made of bottle gourd and bamboo — from Maharashtra; Yumnam Jatra Singh (100), a Nata Sankirtana performer from Manipur; Vishwa Bandhu, a folk dancer from Bihar; and Gafruddin Mewati Jogi, a Rajasthani folk artiste who plays ‘Bhapang’ — a traditional musical instrument — have also been awarded.

The awardee list also includes Dharmiklal Chunilal Pandya, an exponent of ‘Maanbhatt’, a traditional Gujarati performing art form; and musician Taga Ram Bheel, who works to protect the fading traditional instrument, Algoza.

Simanchal Patro, a renowned Sakhi Nata folk theatre actor from Odisha; Naga folk theatre guru Sangyusang S Pongener; scenographer Nuruddin Ahmed from Assam; Bhajan singer Othuvar Thiruthani Swaminathan from Tamil Nadu; and R Krishnan from Tamil Nadu, who dedicated his life to reviving the centuries-old Kurumba tribal art tradition of the Nilgiris; have also been chosen for the fourth-highest civilian award as ‘unsung heroes’ for 2026.

Assam’s Pokila Lekthepi, who made huge contribution to Kabri folk and modern music; Mir Hajibhai Kasambhai, who transformed the ‘dholak’ into a lead solo instrument; Thiruvaarur Bakthavathsalam from Tamil Nadu; Brij Lal Bhat, a well-known social worker from Jammu and Kashmir; Budri Thati, who set up schools in the Naxal-affected areas of Chhattisgarh; Ramchandra and Sunita Godbole, who took affordable healthcare to the tribals through the Bastar rural healthcare project; former IPS officer Inderjit Singh Sidhu; and Techi Gubin from Arunachal Pradesh, who is working to preserve the culture of the Nishi people, have also been awarded Padma Shri.

Charan Hembram, a Santhali author-composer from Odisha; senior journalist Kailash Chandra Pant, who has been working for over 60 years to propagate Hindi across India; Kashmiri literateur Shafi Shauq; and Naresh Chandra Debbarma from Tripura, who works to promote the state’s Kokborok language, were also on the list.

Other recipients include Chiranji Lal Yadav from Uttar Pradesh, an expert in brass engraving work; bronze art sculptor Rajastapathi Kaliappa Goundar from Tamil Nadu; Tripti Mukherjee from West Bengal, who teaches Kantha embroidery art to local women; and Khem Raj Sundriyal from Haryana, who teaches Jamdani weaving technique to thousands of artisans.

Kollakkayil Devaki Amma G, a 92-year-old environmentalist from Kerala who has spent the last four decades planting trees and creating forests; Hally War, who nurtured traditional afforestation techniques of the Khasi people in Meghalaya; and Mohan Nagar from Madhya Pradesh, who built over 75,000 water structures, have also been named for the prestigious award.

Agriculture innovator from Maharashtra, Shrirang Devba Lad, who developed the ‘Dada Lad’ cotton farming technique; Odisha’s Mahendra Kumar Mishra, who recorded and protected tribal voices; social worker Nilesh Vinodchandra Mandlewala from Gujarat, the founder of Donate Life; and Raghupat Singh from Uttar Pradesh, who made farming more profitable through innovations.

Raghuveer Tukaram Khedkar, Maharashtra’s ‘Tamasha’ artiste, who spread awareness about drug addiction; Rama Reddy Mamidi from Telangana who pioneered cooperative-led growth in the animal husbandry and dairy sector; and Karnataka’s S G Susheelamma, whose life-long work to empower women and children through the Sumangali Seva Ashrama, have also been chosen for the prestigious award this year.