The Padma Shri Award 2026 has brought national recognition to five distinguished personalities from Assam. They are late Kabindra Purkayastha, Jogesh Deuri, Nuruddin Ahmed, Pokhila Lekthepi and Haricharan Saikia. They have been honoured for their outstanding contributions to art, agriculture, and public affairs.
The Union Ministry of Home Affairs announced the awards on the eve of Republic Day, making this development highly important for UPSC, APSC, and other State PCS examinations.
Therefore, aspirants must understand both the facts and the exam relevance of this topic.
What Are the Padma Awards?
The Padma Awards are among India’s highest civilian honours. The government of India instituted this award in 1954. They recognise exceptional service in diverse fields such as Arts, Social Work, Public Affairs, Science and Engineering. The award also recognises exceptional services in the field of Trade & Industry, Medicine, Literature & Education, Civil Service and Sports. In addition, Padma awards recognise other fields which may include propagation of Indian culture, protection of human rights, wildlife protection etc.
What are the Categories of Padma Awards?
- Padma Vibhushan – Exceptional and distinguished service.
- Padma Bhushan – Distinguished service of high order.
- Padma Shri – Distinguished service in any field.
The awards are presented by the President of India at Rashtrapati Bhavan, usually during March-April.
Who are the Five Padma Shri Awardees from Assam (2026) and What are their contributions?
These are the personalities from Assam honoured with the Padma Shri Award in 2026.
- Kabindra Purkayastha – Public Affairs (Posthumous):
Late Kabindra Purkayastha, a three-time Member of Parliament from Silchar, received the award posthumously.
What were his Key Contributions?
- Served as a Union Minister.
- Played a major role in public service and governance.
- Contributed to education as Principal of Ramakrishna Vidyapeeth, Sribhumi.
- Jogesh Deuri – Agriculture:
Renowned sericulturist Jogesh Deuri has been honoured for transforming Assam’s silk sector.
Key Contributions:
- Established Integrated Bodoland Silk Parks.
- Connected over 1,600 villages.
- Benefited thousands of farmers.
- Increased women participation to 70% in the Eri Silk value chain.
- Nuruddin Ahmed – Art (Theatre):
Nuruddin Ahmed is a legendary figure in modern Assamese stagecraft.
Key Contributions:
- Designed sets for 4,000+ theatre productions.
- Transformed Assam’s mobile theatre movement.
- Designed the Batadrava Cultural Project.
- Pokhila Lekthepi – Art (Folk Music):
Pokhila Lekthepi, a celebrated Karbi folk singer, received the Padma Shri for preserving tribal music.
Key Contributions:
- Composed more than 300 Karbi folk songs.
- Took Karbi music to national recognition.
- Strengthened tribal cultural identity.
- Haricharan Saikia – Art (Classical Dance):
Veteran Sattriya dancer Haricharan Saikia has been recognised for a six-decade-long career.
Key Contributions:
- Founded a Sattriya dance and music school.
- Promoted women’s participation in Sattriya.
- Helped institutionalise the classical dance form.
List of Padma Shri Awardees from Assam in 2026:
| Awardee Name | Field of Contribution | Art Form / Area | Remarks |
| Kabindra Purkayastha | Public Affairs | Governance & Public Service | Posthumous |
| Jogesh Deuri | Agriculture | Sericulture (Eri Silk) | Rural livelihood & women empowerment |
| Nuruddin Ahmed | Art | Theatre & Stagecraft | Pioneer of modern Assamese mobile theatre |
| Pokhila Lekthepi | Art | Folk Music (Karbi) | Preservation of tribal music |
| Haricharan Saikia | Art | Classical Dance (Sattriya) | Promoted institutional training |
Padma Shri Awardees from Other Northeast States 2026:
Apart from Assam, five personalities from other Northeastern states also received the Padma Shri.
List of Awardees:
| Awardee Name | Field of Contribution | State | Special Note |
| Techi Gubin | Social Work | Arunachal Pradesh | — |
| Hally War | Social Work | Meghalaya | — |
| Yumnam Jatra Singh | Art | Manipur | Posthumous |
| Sangyusang S Pongener | Art | Nagaland | — |
| Naresh Chandra Dev Varma | Literature & Education | Tripura | — |
Padma Awards 2026 – Key Facts for Prelims:
- Total Padma Awards: 131
- Padma Vibhushan: 5
- Padma Bhushan: 13
- Padma Shri: 113
- Women Awardees: 19
- Foreigners/NRI/OCI/PIO: 6
- Posthumous Awards: 16
- Duo Cases: 2 (counted as one)
What are the Significances of Padma Awards?
- Firstly, the Padma Awards recognise individuals who have made outstanding contributions to society in different fields.
- Secondly, they honour excellence in areas such as art, culture, social work, public affairs, science, sports, and education.
- Moreover, these awards encourage people to work with dedication, integrity, and social responsibility.
- In addition, the Padma Awards highlight grassroots contributors who may not receive wide public attention.
- Furthermore, they promote Indian culture, traditions, and heritage at the national and international levels.
- Similarly, the awards strengthen the spirit of national unity by recognising contributions from all regions of India.
- Also, they inspire youth and future generations to serve society selflessly.
- Importantly, Padma Awards help document and preserve the nation’s intellectual and cultural legacy.
Conclusion:
In conclusion, the Padma Shri Awards 2026 clearly showcase the rich and diverse contributions of Assam and the Northeast in fields such as public affairs, agriculture, art, and culture. These awardees represent dedication, creativity, and service to society at the grassroots and national levels. Moreover, their work reflects India’s commitment to recognising excellence beyond metropolitan regions.
Therefore, for UPSC, APSC, and other State PCS aspirants, this topic holds strong relevance for Prelims, Mains, and interviews. It helps in understanding current affairs linked with culture, governance, and regional development. In addition, using such examples can improve answer quality and analytical depth. Hence, aspirants should revise these awardees carefully and connect them with broader syllabus themes for better exam performance.
Source:
https://www.padmaawards.gov.in/padmaawards/AboutAwards
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FAQ:
The Padma Shri Award 2026 is one of India’s highest civilian honours. It recognises distinguished service in fields such as art, agriculture, public affairs, social work, education, and sports.
In 2026, five personalities from Assam received the Padma Shri Award for their contributions to public affairs, agriculture, theatre, folk music, and classical dance.
The Padma Shri Awardees from Assam in 2026 are Kabindra Purkayastha (Posthumous), Jogesh Deuri, Nuruddin Ahmed, Pokhila Lekthepi, and Haricharan Saikia.
The Union Ministry of Home Affairs announces the Padma Shri Awards every year, usually on the eve of Republic Day.
The Padma Awards were instituted in 1954 by the Government of India to honour individuals for exceptional service in various fields of national importance.
