President approves 131 Padma Awards for 2026, spotlighting sports heroes like cricket skippers Rohit Sharma and Harmanpreet Kaur with Padma Shri. Tennis icon Vijay Amritraj gets Padma Bhushan in a list rich with athletic accolades.
Sharma’s triumphant T20 World Cup 2024 captaincy and Kaur’s ODI World Cup 2025 success mark pivotal moments in Indian sports history. Their awards reflect the growing stature of cricket in national honors.
Other Padma Shri recipients in sports include martial arts trainer Bhagwan Das Raikwar, whose Bundeli Yudh Kalaa program has produced over 1,000 fighters. Puducherry’s K. Pajni Vel advances Silambam and martial arts traditions.
Hockey legends shine too: coach Baldev Singh, mentor to 50+ internationals; Savita Punia, the women’s team stalwart; and Praveen Kumar. Posthumously, Vladimir Mestvirishvili, the Georgian wrestling guru behind Indian Olympic triumphs, is remembered.
Vijay Amritraj’s Padma Bhushan crowns a career of Davis Cup heroics, Borg upsets, and Hall of Fame induction. From 1970s dominance to global legacy, his contributions to tennis are unmatched.
This year’s tally: 5 Vibhushan, 13 Bhushan, 113 Shri awards, including 19 women and diverse international honorees. The Padma tradition continues to celebrate unsung heroes and global ambassadors.
