Padma Awards 2026: Legendary Actor Dharmendra Honoured Posthumously With Padma Vibhushan

Dharmendra Honoured With Padma Vibhushan: The Union government on January 25, 2026, announced the Padma Awards for the year, with veteran actor Dharmendra Singh Deol being conferred the Padma Vibhushan posthumously in the field of Art. The announcement was made through an official press note issued by the Ministry of Home Affairs on the occasion of Republic Day. Dharmendra passed away on November 24, 2025, at the age of 89, and his inclusion in the list recognises his long-standing contribution to Indian cinema.

The Padma Awards are among India's highest civilian honours and are given in three categories: Padma Vibhushan for exceptional and distinguished service, Padma Bhushan for distinguished service of a high order, and Padma Shri for distinguished service in any field. For 2026, the President of India has approved a total of 131 Padma Awards, which include 5 Padma Vibhushan, 13 Padma Bhushan, and 113 Padma Shri honours. The list also features 16 posthumous awards, 19 women awardees, and six recipients from the Foreigners/NRI/PIO/OCI category. Two honours have been announced as duo cases, which are counted as a single award each.

In the Padma Vibhushan category, Dharmendra is one of five recipients. The other awardees include K. T. Thomas for public affairs, violinist N. Rajam in the Art category, scholar P. Narayanan for literature and education, and former Kerala Chief Minister V. S. Achuthanandhan, who has also been honoured posthumously for public affairs.

Padma Bhushan and Padma Shri Highlights

The Padma Bhushan list for 2026 includes several prominent figures from cinema, public life, and other sectors. Actor Mammootty has been awarded the Padma Bhushan in the Art category. Other recipients include singer Alka Yagnik, industrialist Uday Kotak, former Uttarakhand Chief Minister Bhagat Singh Koshyari, advertising professional Piyush Pandey (posthumous), Industrialist and social activist S. K. M. Maelanandhan, and former tennis player Vijay Amritraj.

The largest number of awards has been announced under the Padma Shri category, with 113 recipients recognised for contributions across fields such as arts, sports, medicine, civil services, agriculture, archaeology, radio broadcasting, science, and social work. The Padma Shri list includes names from across India and abroad, highlighting both nationally recognised figures and individuals whose work has had a significant impact at the regional or grassroots level.

As per convention, the Padma Awards will be presented by the President of India at ceremonial functions held at Rashtrapati Bhavan, usually around March or April. In the case of posthumous honours, the award is received by a family member of the recipient. With the announcement now made, the Padma Awards 2026 once again bring focus to a wide spectrum of contributions across public life, arts, and service-oriented fields.