Veteran actor Dharmendra has been honoured with the Padma Vibhushan as the Centre announced the Padma Awards 2026 list. Alka Yagnik and Mammootty were also recognised with the Padma Bhushan for their outstanding contributions to Indian cinema.
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On Sunday morning, the Centre announced that legendary Bollywood actor Dharmendra will be honoured with the Padma Vibhushan, India’s second-highest civilian award. And just like that, nostalgia took over social media.
According to the official announcement, the President of India has approved 131 Padma Awards for 2026. Among the five Padma Vibhushan recipients is Dharmendra. The name needs no introduction in Indian cinema.
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With a career spanning decades, the actor has ruled hearts through action films, romantic dramas, unforgettable songs.
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The Padma Vibhushan is given for exceptional and distinguished service. And Dharmendra’s contribution to Indian art and culture fits that description perfectly.
This year’s Padma list is a long and diverse one. The awards include five Padma Vibhushan, 13 Padma Bhushan, and 113 Padma Shri honours. Out of the total awardees, 19 are women.
The list also has a global touch. Six awardees are foreigners, NRIs, PIOs, or OCIs. 16 awards will be given posthumously, honouring legends who are no longer with us but left a lasting mark.
The entertainment world had more reasons to celebrate. The Padma Bhushan, awarded for distinguished service of a high order, went to several familiar names. Playback queen Alka Yagnik, Malayalam cinema icon Mammootty, advertising genius Piyush Pandey, and classical scholar Shatavadhani R Ganesh were among the recipients. Violinist N Rajam was also in the list. Veteran actor Satish Shah is one of the artists who is receiving Padma Shri posthumously.
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