THEBUSINESSBYTES
BUREAU
NEW
DELHI, MARCH 15, 2026
The process for
selecting India’s next set of distinguished civilian awardees has officially
begun with the opening of nominations for the prestigious Padma Awards–2027. The
nominations/recommendations for the awards, which will be announced on the
occasion of Republic Day in 2027, commenced on 15 March 2026, marking the start
of the nationwide effort to identify individuals whose contributions have left
a lasting impact on society.
The last date for submitting
nominations for the Padma Awards is 31 July 2026. The
nominations/recommendations will be accepted exclusively through the Rashtriya
Puraskar Portal (https://awards.gov.in), where individuals and institutions can
recommend deserving candidates.
The Padma Awards — Padma
Vibhushan, Padma Bhushan and Padma Shri — are among the highest civilian
honours in India. Instituted in 1954, the awards are announced every year on
the occasion of Republic Day to celebrate individuals who have demonstrated
exceptional achievement and service in their respective fields.
These honours
recognise “work of distinction” across a wide spectrum of disciplines,
including art, literature and education, sports, medicine, social work, science
and engineering, public affairs, civil service, trade and industry, among
others. The awards are open to all persons without distinction of race,
occupation, position or gender. However, government servants, including those
working with public sector undertakings, are not eligible for Padma Awards,
except doctors and scientists.
Reinforcing its
commitment to make the honours more inclusive and representative, the
Government continues to encourage citizens to participate in the nomination
process as part of the vision of transforming the Padma Awards into “People’s
Padma”. Citizens are urged to recommend deserving individuals, including
through self-nomination, especially those whose extraordinary contributions
often remain unrecognised.
Authorities have
particularly encouraged efforts to identify and nominate talented individuals
from among women, weaker sections of society, Scheduled Castes and Scheduled
Tribes, divyang persons and those engaged in selfless service to the community.
The nominations must include all relevant details as prescribed in the format available on the portal, clearly highlighting the distinguished achievements and exceptional service rendered by the nominee in their respective field.
Further information about the nomination process and eligibility criteria is available under the ‘Awards and Medals’ section on the website of the Ministry of Home Affairs (https://mha.gov.in) and on the Padma Awards portal (https://padmaawards.gov.in), where the statutes and rules governing the awards are also accessible.
