Every year, right around Republic Day, the air in Delhi gets thick with anticipation. It's not just the parade or the flypasts. It’s that moment the Ministry of Home Affairs finally drops the names. This year was no different, and honestly, the Padma awards 2025 winners list feels like a genuine attempt to bridge the gap between high-profile superstars and the "unsung heroes" who usually work in total silence.
Think about it. We’ve got 139 people on this list. That’s a lot of stories. The President approved 7 Padma Vibhushans, 19 Padma Bhushans, and 113 Padma Shri awards. What’s kind of cool this time around is the diversity—23 women made the list, and there are 10 people from the NRI/Foreigner category, including some big names you’ve definitely heard of if you follow tech or industry.
The Big Seven: Padma Vibhushan 2025
The Padma Vibhushan is for "exceptional and distinguished service." It’s the second-highest civilian honor in India, and the 2025 lineup is heavy on legacy.
Justice (Retd.) Jagdish Singh Khehar was recognized for Public Affairs. If you follow the judiciary, you know him as the former Chief Justice of India who didn't shy away from tough calls. Then there’s Dr. Duvvur Nageshwar Reddy in Medicine. He's basically a legend in gastroenterology, coming out of Telangana.
The arts section of the Vibhushan list feels a bit bittersweet. Sharda Sinha, the legendary "Bihar Kokila" whose voice is synonymous with Chhath Puja, received the award posthumously. It’s a fitting tribute, though many wish she’d been here to hold the medallion herself. Joining her in the art category are Kumudini Lakhia, the Kathak visionary (also posthumous), and the violin maestro Lakshminarayana Subramaniam.
👉 See also: Why the Recent Snowfall Western New York State Emergency Was Different
Rounding out the top tier are M. T. Vasudevan Nair for Literature (posthumous) and Osamu Suzuki, the man behind the Maruti-Suzuki revolution in India, also awarded posthumously for Trade and Industry.
Digging Into the Padma Bhushan 2025
The middle tier, the Padma Bhushan, is where things get really interesting. It’s for "distinguished service of high order." This year, it’s a mix of cinema icons, sports stars, and intellectuals.
You've got Anant Nag and Nandamuri Balakrishna—absolute titans of South Indian cinema. Seeing Balakrishna on the list wasn’t a shocker for his fans, but it definitely sparked a lot of conversation online. Then there’s P R Sreejesh, the "Great Wall of Indian Hockey." After his retirement and that emotional Paris 2024 run, this felt like the only right way to cap off his career.
A few other names you might recognize from the 19-person list:
✨ Don't miss: Nate Silver Trump Approval Rating: Why the 2026 Numbers Look So Different
- Vinod Dham: The "Father of the Pentium Chip." It’s wild to think an Indian mind basically powered the computer revolution.
- Shekhar Kapur: The director who gave us Mr. India and Elizabeth.
- Arijit Singh: (Actually, checking the specifics, Arijit was in the Shri category for many reports, but the Bhushan list featured names like Pankaj Udhas posthumously and Shobana Chandrakumar).
- Bibek Debroy: The economist and scholar who passed away recently; his contribution to Literature and Education is hard to overstate.
The Heart of the List: Padma Shri 2025
If the Vibhushan is about the "establishment," the Padma Shri is where the "Peoples' Padma" vibe really lives. Out of the 113 winners, many are people who have spent 30 or 40 years doing one thing really well in a remote village.
Take L. Hangthing from Nagaland. He’s been pushing exotic fruit farming for three decades. Or Bhim Singh Bhavesh from Bihar, who has spent 22 years working with the Musahar community. These aren't people you see on Page 3. They’re the ones changing the soil.
In the world of sports, Harvinder Singh grabbed a Padma Shri after his historic Gold in Para-archery. I.M. Vijayan, the "Black Pearl" of Indian football, also finally got his due. It’s sort of a "better late than never" situation for a lot of football fans who grew up watching him dominate the pitch in the 90s.
Why This List Matters for You
The Padma awards 2025 winners list isn't just a government press release. It’s a snapshot of what India values right now. We're seeing a massive shift toward recognizing grassroots social work and indigenous art forms that were dying out.
🔗 Read more: Weather Forecast Lockport NY: Why Today’s Snow Isn’t Just Hype
If you're a student preparing for exams, these names are gold. If you're a citizen, they're a reminder that you don't need a million followers to make a difference.
The official ceremony usually happens in March or April at Rashtrapati Bhavan. That’s when you’ll see those viral photos of elderly tribal women walking barefoot to meet the President. Honestly, those are the best moments of the whole process.
Next steps for you:
If you want to dive deeper, you should check out the Official Padma Awards Dashboard. It lets you filter by state, so you can see if anyone from your hometown made the cut. It’s a great way to discover local heroes you might not even know lived just a few miles away.