Want a Padma Award? MHA Taking Applications for People's Padma

The Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA) has kicked off nominations for the 2026 Padma Awards, to be announced on Republic Day eve.

The deadline for submissions is July 31, 2025, with all entries accepted online via the Rashtriya Puraskar Portal (awards.gov.in), the MHA announced Friday.

The Padma Vibhushan, Padma Bhushan, and Padma Shri, among India’s highest civilian honors since 1954, recognize exceptional achievements across fields like art, education, sports, medicine, and social work.

Open to all, except government employees (barring doctors and scientists), the awards aim to spotlight “work of distinction.”

The MHA urged citizens to nominate unsung heroes, especially women, SCs, STs, divyang individuals, and those serving selflessly, to transform the awards into a true “People’s Padma.” Nominations, including self-nominations, must include an 800-word citation detailing the candidate’s contributions, as outlined on the portal and MHA website (mha.gov.in).

Since 2014, the Modi government has honored many grassroots contributors, emphasizing inclusive recognition.