Padma Awards Explained: Padma Vibhushan vs Padma Bhushan vs Padma Shri

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Delhi: The Indian government has announced the Padma Awards 2026, one of the nation’s most prestigious sets of civilian honours, on the eve of Republic Day. These honours celebrate outstanding contributions by citizens and notable figures across diverse fields such as arts, public affairs, sports, science, literature, medicine and social work.A total of 131 awards have been approved for 2026 by President Droupadi Murmu, comprising:

1. 5 Padma Vibhushan
2. 13 Padma Bhushan
3. 113 Padma Shri awards

Also Read | Padma Awards 2026 Announced: Late Actor Dharmendra, Rohit Sharma Among Top Honorees - Here's Full List

Difference Between Padma Vibhushan, Padma Bhushan and Padma Shri

The Padma Awards are civilian honours instituted by the Government of India to recognise distinguished service and achievements across any field of activity.

1. Padma Vibhushan

• Rank: Second highest civilian award in India (after Bharat Ratna).
• Purpose: Awarded for exceptional and distinguished service to the nation in any sphere of activity, including service rendered by government servants.
• Criteria: Recognises contributions of truly extraordinary merit that have national or even global impact.

2. Padma Bhushan

• Rank: Third-highest civilian award.
• Purpose: Given for distinguished service of a high order in any field - whether art, science, public affairs, social work, or other endeavours.
• Criteria: Recognises sustained high performance and impact over long periods.

3. Padma Shri

• Rank: Fourth highest civilian honour.
• Purpose: Given for distinguished service in any field, including public service, arts, culture, education, science, and more.
• Criteria: Often recognises individuals whose work has had a notable impact at local, regional, or national levels.

Award	Rank/Order	What It Is Given For	Fields Covered	When It Is Announced	Notable Famous Recipients (Examples)
Padma Vibhushan	🥇 Highest Padma Award, (After Bharat Ratna)	Exceptional and distinguished service of the highest order.	Public affairs, arts, science, medicine, social work, literature, sports, civil service, etc.	Republic Day (January 26)	Lata Mangeshkar, A. P. J. Abdul Kalam, Ratan Tata, Satyajit Ray
Padma Bhushan	🥈 Second-highest	Distinguished service of a high order.	Same broad fields as above	Republic Day (January 26)	Sachin Tendulkar, Amitabh Bachchan, Nandan Nilekani, Mary Kom
Padma Shri	🥉 Third-highest	Distinguished service in any field, often grassroots or popular impact.	Arts, education, health, sports, trade, industry, social work, science, public service, etc.	Republic Day (January 26)	Mithali Raj, Kailash Kher, Sonam Wangchuk, Arunachalam Muruganantham

FAQs

1. What are the Padma Awards?The Padma Awards are prestigious civilian honours instituted by the Government of India to recognise outstanding contributions by citizens in diverse fields such as arts, public affairs, sports, science, literature, medicine, and social work.
2. When were the Padma Awards 2026 announced?The Padma Awards 2026 were announced on the eve of Republic Day.
3. How many awards were approved for the Padma Awards 2026?A total of 131 awards have been approved for 2026.
4. Who announced the Padma Awards 2026?The Padma Awards 2026 were announced by President Droupadi Murmu.
5. What is the rank of Padma Vibhushan among civilian awards in India?The Padma Vibhushan is the second highest civilian award in India, after Bharat Ratna.
6. What is the purpose of the Padma Vibhushan award?The Padma Vibhushan is awarded for exceptional and distinguished service to the nation in any sphere of activity.
7. What criteria does one need to meet to receive the Padma Bhushan?The Padma Bhushan is given for distinguished service of a high order in any field, recognising sustained high performance and impact over long periods.
8. What is the fourth highest civilian honour in India?The Padma Shri is the fourth highest civilian honour in India.
9. What fields are recognised by the Padma Shri award?The Padma Shri is awarded for distinguished service in fields such as public service, arts, culture, education, science, and more.
10. How many Padma Vibhushan awards were announced for 2026?For 2026, 5 Padma Vibhushan awards have been announced.