The Padma Awards list, revealed just before Republic Day, names 131 distinguished individuals, blending political leaders, athletes, and entertainment giants. Bollywood’s evergreen star Dharmendra Deol receives the prestigious Padma Vibhushan posthumously, a fitting tribute to his cinematic legacy.
Satish Shah and R. Madhavan also make the cut, with Shah honored after his passing. Dr. N. Rajam, the BHU music professor whose violin has enthralled for half a century, shares the Vibhushan spotlight. Alka Yagnik’s Padma Bhushan celebrates her multilingual singing marvel, exceeding 20,000 tracks.
Mammootty, late Piyush Pandey, and R. Ganesh earn Bhushan for their impacts in film, ads, and poetry across languages. Theater and screen veteran Anil Kumar Rastogi, iconic as Bapuji in ‘Anupama,’ gets Padma Shri after 60 years of dedication.
Folk and classical luminaries dominate the Shri list: Bhojpuri singer Bharat Singh Bharti, Tarpa maestro Bhiklya Ladkya Dhinda, Vishwa Bandhu (posthumous), craftsman Chiranji Lal Yadav, dancer-choreographer Deepika Reddy, Telugu actor Gaddde Rajendra Prasad, and folk artist Gafuruddin Mewati Jogi. Further honorees include Garimella Balakrishna Prasad, the Balasubramaniam sisters, late Hari Madhav Mukhopadhyay, Vimala Menon, Pt. Kumar Bose, Murali Mohan, Pokhila Lekthepi, Prosenjit Chatterjee, Satish Shah (posthumous), Tarun Bhattacharya, Tiruvarur Bakthavatsalam, and Tripti Mukherjee.
These awards not only recognize past achievements but also inspire future generations to pursue excellence in India’s rich cultural domains.