Celebrating athletic prowess, the 2026 Padma Awards bestow Padma Shri on T20 World Cup 2024 hero Rohit Sharma and ODI World Cup 2025 skipper Harmanpreet Kaur. Tennis maestro Vijay Amritraj receives the Padma Bhushan.
These captains’ victories have galvanized the nation, blending strategy, grit, and inspiration. Sharma and Kaur embody the evolution of Indian cricket’s leadership.
Diverse sports shine: Bhagwan Das Raikwar’s Bundeli martial arts legacy with 1,000 trainees; K. Pajni Vel’s promotion of Silambam; Baldev Singh’s hockey coaching spanning 50 internationals.
Hockey stars Savita Punia and Praveen Kumar join, alongside posthumous recognition for Georgian coach Vladimir Mestvirishvili, architect of Indian wrestling’s Olympic success.
Amritraj’s Bhushan salutes his 1970s-80s reign: India’s Davis Cup finalist in 1974/1987, Borg defeater, and recent Tennis Hall of Famer.
The full slate—131 awards (5 Vibhushan, 13 Bhushan, 113 Shri)—includes dual cases, 19 women, 6 foreign-linked recipients, and 16 posthumous. This honors India’s sporting and cultural tapestry.