When the list of Padma Awards 2026 was announced on the eve of India’s 77th Republic Day, the sports community immediately understood that this was not a routine honours list.
The 2026 awards marked a structural shift in how the Indian state now defines sporting contribution. It was no longer just about medals and scorelines. It was about longevity, leadership, institution-building and cultural preservation.
Out of the 131 Padma awards approved this year, sport emerged as one of the most strategically significant categories, reflecting a maturing ecosystem that now rewards not only champions but also architects of sporting success. At the top of the sporting honours pyramid stands Vijay Amritraj, who was conferred the Padma Bhushan, India’s third-highest civilian award. He was the only sportsperson to receive this honour in 2026, and the symbolism is unmistakable. Amritraj’s legacy transcends tennis.
He remains India’s most important sporting diplomat, a global broadcaster, a former UN Messenger of Peace, and now President of the Tamil Nadu Tennis Association. His Davis Cup leadership taking India to the finals in 1974 and 1987 helped establish Indian tennis as a serious global force long before infrastructure or funding caught up. The award, coming more than four decades after his Padma Shri in 1983, recognises not a career but a lifetime of influence.
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If Amritraj represents India’s global sporting identity, the Padma Shri awards reflect the domestic high-performance revolution. Rohit Sharma and Harmanpreet Kaur were honoured for what is arguably the most successful leadership phase in Indian cricket history. Rohit’s stewardship brought India two ICC titles the 2024 T20 World Cup and the 2025 Champions Trophy redefining how Indian teams approach knockout cricket.
Harmanpreet’s legacy was even more transformative. In 2025 she led India to its maiden Women’s ODI World Cup, a moment that altered the trajectory of women’s sport in the country. These honours were not just for runs and wickets they were for cultural change.
In hockey, the Padma Shri for Savita Punia recognised one of the most extraordinary careers in Indian sport. In early 2025 she became only the second Indian woman to reach 300 international caps, and arguably the most consistent goalkeeper India has ever produced. Her influence spans two decades, multiple Asian titles, a Commonwealth Games bronze, and a historic Olympic semifinal in Tokyo. Savita represents a rare breed an athlete who has remained world-class across generations, formats and tactical eras.
Yet the deepest meaning of the 2026 Padma list lies not with star captains, but with those who built India’s sporting backbone. Few examples are more powerful than Baldev Singh, the legendary coach from Shahbad Markanda. Over three decades, Singh produced 45 international women hockey players from one small town including Rani Rampal and Ritu Rani. His training centre became the engine of Indian women’s hockey. The Padma Shri awarded to him is a recognition that systems win medals, not individuals.
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The same philosophy was evident in the posthumous Padma Shri for Vladimir Mestvirishvili, the Georgian wrestling coach who quietly transformed Indian wrestling. His students included Olympic medallists Sushil Kumar, Yogeshwar Dutt, Bajrang Punia and Ravi Dahiya. By honouring him, India formally acknowledged the technical foundation behind its wrestling revolution.
Perhaps the most telling feature of the 2026 awards was the inclusion of para-sport and traditional martial arts. Praveen Kumar’s Padma Shri recognised not only his gold medal in the T64 high jump at the Paris Paralympics but also the professionalisation of para-athletics in India. From silver in Tokyo to gold in Paris, his rise reflects a system that now supports disabled athletes with scientific training and funding.
Even more striking was the recognition of Silambam master K Pajanivel and Bundeli martial arts expert Bhagwandas Raikwar. Their Padma Shri awards acknowledge that sporting heritage matters as much as high-performance sport. These men preserved centuries-old combat systems, trained thousands of youth, and ensured that indigenous physical culture is not lost in the Olympic age.
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This is what makes the 2026 Padma Awards a watershed moment. They no longer merely celebrate winners. They map India’s sporting ecosystem from grassroots nurseries to global podiums, from Olympic medals to village akharas, from television studios to high-performance labs.
The message from the government is unmistakable: excellence is no longer defined only by results, but by impact. Whether it is Amritraj building India’s global tennis identity, Harmanpreet transforming women’s cricket, Savita anchoring a generation of hockey, or Baldev Singh training girls in rural Haryana all are now part of the same national narrative.
In doing so, the Padma Awards have become more than ceremonial. They are a blueprint for how India wants its sport to be built inclusive, sustainable, and deeply rooted in service.
Padma Shri Awards
Rohit Sharma (Cricket): Captain of India’s 2024 T20 World Cup and 2025 Champions Trophy-winning teams, recognised for leadership during India’s most successful white-ball era.
Harmanpreet Kaur (Cricket): Captain of India’s 2025 Women’s World Cup-winning side, the first such title in Indian women’s cricket history.
Savita Punia (Hockey): India’s most capped women’s hockey goalkeeper. Backbone of India’s Olympic semifinal run and multiple Asian and Commonwealth medals.
Praveen Kumar (Para Athletics): Paris 2024 Paralympic high-jump gold medallist. Symbol of India’s rise as a global para-sport powerhouse.
Baldev Singh (Hockey Coach): The legendary Shahbad Markanda coach who produced 45 international women players including Rani Rampal. One of the most important grassroots architects in Indian sport.
Vladimir Mestvirishvili (Wrestling Coach – Posthumous): Georgian coach who trained Olympic and World medallists like Sushil Kumar, Yogeshwar Dutt, Bajrang Punia and Ravi Dahiya. The technical brain behind India’s wrestling boom.
K. Pajanivel (Silambam – Traditional Martial Art): Revived and popularised Tamil Nadu’s ancient martial art, training thousands across generations.
Bhagwandas Raikwar (Bundeli Martial Arts): Preserved and promoted traditional Indian combat systems from central India, ensuring cultural continuity.
