Veterans from cinema, sports, public service and arts feature in the Padma Awards announced on the eve of Republic Day

Bollywood actor Dharmendra, former Indian men’s cricket team captain Rohit Sharma and late advertising professional Piyush Pandey are among the prominent personalities named in this year’s Padma Awards, announced on the eve of Republic Day.

The Padma Awards are among India’s highest civilian honours and are conferred in three categories — Padma Vibhushan, Padma Bhushan and Padma Shri — for distinguished service across various fields.

Padma Vibhushan awardees

Five individuals have been awarded the Padma Vibhushan, the country’s second-highest civilian honour. These include Dharmendra and former Kerala chief minister VS Achuthanandan, both honoured posthumously.

The other recipients of the Padma Vibhushan are KT Thomas for public affairs, classical violinist N Rajam for art, and P Narayanan for contributions to literature and education.

Padma Bhushan recipients

The Padma Bhushan awardees include former Uttarakhand chief minister and former Maharashtra governor Bhagat Singh Koshyari, US-based Dr Nori Dattatreyudu, businessman Uday Kotak, veteran BJP leader and former MP VK Malhotra, actor Mammootty, singer Alka Yagnik, and Kerala community leader and SNDP Yogam general secretary Vellappally Natesan.

Late advertising stalwart Piyush Pandey has also been honoured with the Padma Bhushan posthumously.

Padma Shri awardees from sports and arts

Among the Padma Shri recipients are India women’s cricket team captain Harmanpreet Kaur Bhullar and former Indian men’s cricket team captain Rohit Sharma. Women’s hockey player Savita Punia has also been named in the list.

The Padma Shri honours further include former UGC chairman and JNU vice chancellor Mamidala Jagadesh Kumar, veteran actor Satish Shah (posthumous), and actor Prosenjit Chatterjee.

Key highlights of this year’s list

As many as 19 women feature among the Padma awardees this year. The list also includes six foreign nationals, NRIs, PIOs or OCIs. A total of 16 awards have been announced posthumously.

The honours are given for contributions across disciplines such as art, social work, public affairs, science and engineering, trade and industry, medicine, literature and education, sports, and civil services.

President to confer awards at Rashtrapati Bhavan

The Padma Awards will be presented by the President of India at ceremonial functions held at Rashtrapati Bhavan in New Delhi.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi congratulated the awardees, stating that their dedication and service across diverse fields continue to inspire the nation.

Ahead of Republic Day, Rajasthan Police seized a massive consignment of explosives from a farm in Nagaur district and arrested one person in connection with the recovery, officials said on Sunday.

Acting on specific intelligence, a police team carried out a late-night raid on Saturday in Harsaur village. During the operation, officers recovered 9,550 kilograms of ammonium nitrate stored in 187 sacks from an agricultural field, Superintendent of Police Mridul Kachhawa said.

The accused, identified as Suleman Khan, a resident of Harsaur village, was taken into custody at the spot. According to police, he has three previous criminal cases registered against him.

In addition to ammonium nitrate, police seized a significant quantity of explosive accessories. These included nine cartons of detonators, 12 cartons and 15 bundles of blue fuse wire, and 12 cartons along with five bundles of red fuse wire.

During preliminary questioning, Suleman allegedly told investigators that the explosives were being supplied to individuals involved in both legal and illegal mining activities. A case has been registered under relevant provisions of the Explosives Act, the SP said.

Officials also pointed out that ammonium nitrate has been linked to major blast incidents in the past, including an explosion reported near Delhi’s Red Fort in November 2025.

Police said central agencies have been informed about the seizure and are expected to question the accused as part of a broader investigation.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi extended greetings to the nation on the occasion of the 77th Republic Day, urging citizens to renew their collective resolve towards building a developed India.

In a message shared on X, the Prime Minister said Republic Day symbolises India’s pride and honour and should infuse new enthusiasm among citizens. He added that the national festival must strengthen the resolve for a Viksit Bharat.

Republic Day is observed annually on January 26 to commemorate the adoption of the Constitution of India in 1950, marking the country’s formal transition into a sovereign, socialist, secular and democratic republic. The day holds historic importance as it reflects the culmination of India’s freedom struggle and the foundation of constitutional governance based on justice, liberty, equality and fraternity.

Grand celebrations at Kartavya Path

President Droupadi Murmu will preside over the Republic Day celebrations at Kartavya Path in New Delhi. The President of the European Council, Antonio Costa, and the President of the European Commission, Ursula von der Leyen, are attending the event as chief guests.

Kartavya Path, stretching from Rashtrapati Bhawan to the National War Memorial, has been extensively decorated to reflect India’s journey of progress and achievement.

According to the Ministry of Defence, this year’s celebrations will showcase a blend of the 150-year legacy of the national song Vande Mataram, India’s development journey, military strength, cultural diversity and participation from people across the country.

Parade highlights and ceremonial traditions

The ceremony will begin at 10:30 am and is expected to last around 90 minutes. Prime Minister Modi will first visit the National War Memorial to pay homage to fallen soldiers by laying a wreath. He will then proceed to Kartavya Path along with other dignitaries to witness the parade.

The President of India, along with the European Council and European Commission presidents, will arrive in the traditional buggy, escorted by the President’s Bodyguard, the senior-most regiment of the Indian Army.

As per tradition, the National Flag will be unfurled, followed by the National Anthem and a 21-gun salute using indigenously developed 105 mm Light Field Guns. The salute will be presented by the 1721 Ceremonial Battery of the 172 Field Regiment.

Tableaux reflect self-reliance and cultural heritage

A total of 30 tableaux — 17 from States and Union Territories and 13 from Ministries, Departments and Services — will roll down Kartavya Path. The themes include Swatantrata ka Mantra: Vande Mataram and Samriddhi ka Mantra: Aatmanirbhar Bharat.

The tableaux will present a visual narrative of the legacy of Vande Mataram, India’s rapid development and the spirit of self-reliance, along with the nation’s rich cultural diversity.