{"id":"f-80ae245e0c-b00aa756-1158-587a-81bf-c6fd4e7a3fda","title":"Padma Awards 2026: Unsung Heroes From Healthcare, Art, Literature, Social Work Honoured","description":"Padma Awardees’ work spans healthcare, education, livelihoods, sanitation, sustainability and social welfare. Many have worked with Divyangjan, women, children and Dalits.","timestamp":1769341585,"category":"national_v_two","headline":"Padma Awards 2026: Unsung Heroes From Healthcare, Art, Literature, Social Work Honoured","modifiedHeadline":"Padma Awards 2026 list: Social reformers to artist","subCategories":["scid_d3a98dc5"],"region":"IN","bundleMetaData":{"bundleId":"7b48871c-c993-4956-b43d-6f46f8e1b036","bundleTitle":"Today In India","cardData":null},"iabCategoryId":"162","fcSummary":"this year's padma awards recognize ordinary indians from diverse backgrounds who have made extraordinary contributions through lifelong service in fields like healthcare, education, and social welfare, with a notable presence from tamil nadu among these unsung heroes.","summary":"This year’s Padma Awards have brought national recognition to a wide group of unsung heroes from across India.","ctaUrl":"https://trends.glance.com/newz/news/IN/en/news18/f-80ae245e0c-b00aa756-1158-587a-81bf-c6fd4e7a3fda","sourceUrl":"https://www.news18.com/india/padma-awards-2026-unsung-heroes-from-healthcare-art-literature-social-work-honoured-9855440.html","bannerImage":"https://g-mob.glance-cdn.com/public/fc/image/jc_4Q33iY3t0.webp","content":"

This year’s Padma Awards have brought national recognition to a wide group of unsung heroes from across India. Following the spirit of the “People’s Padma”, the awards celebrate ordinary Indians who have made

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extraordinary contributions through lifelong service to society.

Notably, several Padma recipients this year are from Tamil Nadu, highlighting the state’s strong presence among those quietly working at the grassroots level.\n

Celebrating service beyond fame

The awardees come from diverse backgrounds and regions, including remote and difficult terrains. Many belong to marginalised Backward and Dalit communities, primitive tribes and underserved areas. Despite facing personal hardships and tragedies, they have dedicated their lives to serving others.

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Their work spans healthcare, education, livelihoods, sanitation, sustainability and social welfare. Many have worked closely with Divyangjan, women, children, Dalits and tribal communities.

Diverse fields of contribution

This year’s Padma recipients include doctors addressing local health challenges such as haemophilia, and a neonatologist who set up India’s first human milk bank. Others have focused on preserving indigenous heritage, promoting national integration in border states, supporting tribal languages and indigenous martial arts, and safeguarding dying arts and traditional weaves.

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Several awardees have also worked to protect ecological wealth, promote afforestation and champion cleanliness. Together, they represent everyday Indians quietly serving the nation.

Unsung Padma Awardees 2026

Here is the Padma Awardees list presented clearly in tabular form, strictly based on the information you provided:

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\n No.	\n Name	\n Field	\n State / Region
\n 1	\n Anke Gowda	\n Literature & Education	\n Karnataka
\n 2	\n Armida Fernandez	\n Medicine	\n Maharashtra
\n 3	\n Bhagwandas Raikwar	\n Sports	\n Madhya Pradesh
\n 4	\n Bhiklya Ladakya Dhinda	\n Art	\n Maharashtra
\n 5	\n Brij Lal Bhat	\n Social Work	\n Jammu and Kashmir
\n 6	\n Budhri Tati	\n Social Work	\n Chhattisgarh
\n 7	\n Charan Hembram	\n Literature & Education	\n Odisha
\n 8	\n Chiranji Lal Yadav	\n Brass Artist	\n Uttar Pradesh
\n 9	\n Dharmiklal Chunilal Pandya	\n Art	\n Gujarat
\n 10	\n Gafruddin Mewati Jogi	\n Art	\n Rajasthan
\n 11	\n Hally War	\n Agriculture (Khasi farmer)	\n Meghalaya
\n 12	\n Inderjit Singh Sidhu	\n Social Work	\n Chandigarh
\n 13	\n K Pajanivel	\n Art	\n Puducherry
\n 14	\n Kailash Chandra Pant	\n Literature & Education	\n Madhya Pradesh
\n 15	\n Khem Raj Sundriyal	\n Art	\n Haryana
\n 16	\n Kollakkayil Devaki Amma G	\n Environment (Afforestation)	\n Kerala
\n 17	\n Kumarasamy Thangaraj	\n Indian Genetics	\n Hyderabad
\n 18	\n Mahendra Kumar Mishra	\n Literature & Education	\n Gujarat
\n 19	\n Mir Hajibhai Kasambhai	\n Art	\n Gujarat
\n 20	\n Mohan Nagar	\n Environment	\n Madhya Pradesh
\n 21	\n Naresh Chandra Debbarma	\n Literature & Education	\n Tripura
\n 22	\n Nilesh Vinodchandra Mandlewala	\n Social Work	\n Gujarat
\n 23	\n Nuruddin Ahmed	\n Art	\n Assam
\n 24	\n Othuvar Thiruthani Swaminathan	\n Art	\n Tamil Nadu
\n 25	\n Padma Gurmet	\n Medicine	\n Ladakh
\n 26	\n Pokhila Lekthepi	\n Art	\n Assam
\n 27	\n Punniamurthy Natesan	\n Veterinary Science	\n Tamil Nadu
\n 28	\n R Krishnan	\n Art (Painter)	\n Tamil Nadu (Nilgiris)
\n 29	\n Raghupat Singh	\n Agriculture	\n Uttar Pradesh
\n 30	\n Raghuveer Tukaram Khedkar	\n Art	\n Maharashtra
\n 31	\n Rajastapathi Kaliappa Goundar	\n Art	\n Tamil Nadu
\n 32	\n Rama Reddy Mamidi	\n Animal Husbandry (Dairy)	\n Telangana
\n 33	\n Ramchandra Godbole	\n Medicine	\n Chhattisgarh
\n 34	\n Sunita Godbole	\n Medicine	\n Chhattisgarh
\n 35	\n S G Susheelamma	\n Social Work	\n Karnataka
\n 36	\n Sangyusang S Pongener	\n Art	\n Nagaland
\n 37	\n Shafi Shauq	\n Literature & Education	\n Kashmir
\n 38	\n Shrirang Devaba Lad	\n Agriculture	\n Maharashtra
\n 39	\n Shyam Sundar	\n Medicine	\n Uttar Pradesh
\n 40	\n Simanchal Patro	\n Art	\n Odisha
\n 41	\n Suresh Hanagavadi	\n Medicine	\n Karnataka
\n 42	\n Taga Ram Bheel	\n Art	\n Rajasthan
\n 43	\n Techi Gubin	\n Social Work	\n Arunachal Pradesh
\n 44	\n Thiruvaarur Bakthavathsalam	\n Art	\n Tamil Nadu
\n 45	\n Vishwa Bandhu	\n Padma Shri	\n Bihar
\n 46	\n Yumnam Jatra Singh	\n Art	\n Manipur

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Celebrating service beyond fame

Diverse fields of contribution

Unsung Padma Awardees 2026

Here is the Padma Awardees list presented clearly in tabular form, strictly based on the information you provided:

No.

Name

Field

State / Region

1

Anke Gowda

Literature & Education

Karnataka

2

Armida Fernandez

Medicine

Maharashtra

3

Bhagwandas Raikwar

Sports

Madhya Pradesh

4

Bhiklya Ladakya Dhinda

Art

Maharashtra

5

Brij Lal Bhat

Social Work

Jammu and Kashmir

6

Budhri Tati

Social Work

Chhattisgarh

7

Charan Hembram

Literature & Education

Odisha

8

Chiranji Lal Yadav

Brass Artist

Uttar Pradesh

9

Dharmiklal Chunilal Pandya

Art

Gujarat

10

Gafruddin Mewati Jogi

Art

Rajasthan

11

Hally War

Agriculture (Khasi farmer)

Meghalaya

12

Inderjit Singh Sidhu

Social Work

Chandigarh

13

K Pajanivel

Art

Puducherry

14

Kailash Chandra Pant

Literature & Education

Madhya Pradesh

15

Khem Raj Sundriyal

Art

Haryana

16

Kollakkayil Devaki Amma G

Environment (Afforestation)

Kerala

17

Kumarasamy Thangaraj

Indian Genetics

Hyderabad

18

Mahendra Kumar Mishra

Literature & Education

Gujarat

Padma Awards 2026: Unsung Heroes From Healthcare, Art, Literature, Social Work Honoured

SUMMARY