Key Takeaways
- Indian cricket captains Rohit Sharma and Harmanpreet Kaur lead the list of eight sportspersons selected for the Padma Shri 2026.
- The awardees include stars from cricket, hockey, wrestling, archery, and para sports.
- President Droupadi Murmu will confer the honours at a ceremony in Rashtrapati Bhavan later this year.
Indian cricket captains Rohit Sharma and Harmanpreet Kaur are set to receive the prestigious Padma Shri award in 2026. They are among eight sportspersons named in the civilian honours list announced by the government on Thursday.
Full List of Sporting Awardees
The two cricketing icons are joined by a diverse group of athletes recognised for their exceptional contributions:
- Rohit Sharma – Men’s cricket captain
- Harmanpreet Kaur – Women’s T20I cricket captain
- Pravin Jadhav – Archer
- Rani Rampal – Hockey player
- Vinesh Phogat – Wrestler
- Manasi Joshi – Para-badminton player
- Satendra Singh – Para-swimmer
- Suyash Jadhav – Para-athlete
About the Padma Shri Award
The Padma Shri is India’s fourth-highest civilian honour. It recognises distinguished service across various fields including arts, education, sports, science, and social work.
Profiles of the Cricketing Honourees
Rohit Sharma
The 36-year-old, who led India to the T20 World Cup title last year, is one of the nation’s most successful batsmen. With over 15,000 international runs, he holds multiple records including the highest individual ODI score (264) and being the only player with three ODI double centuries.
Harmanpreet Kaur
A stalwart of women’s cricket for over a decade, the 34-year-old captain is known for her destructive batting. She made history as the first Indian woman to score a T20I century and played a legendary 171* in the 2017 World Cup semi-final against Australia.
Other Sporting Achievements Recognised
Rani Rampal, former captain of the Indian women’s hockey team, led the side to the quarter-finals at the Tokyo 2020 Olympics.
Vinesh Phogat is a two-time Commonwealth Games gold medallist and won bronze at the 2022 World Championships.
Manasi Joshi claimed gold at the 2019 Para-Badminton World Championships.
Satendra Singh (para-swimmer) and Suyash Jadhav (para-athlete) have both won multiple medals at the Asian Para Games, with Jadhav also succeeding at the World Para Athletics Championships.
The awards will be presented by President at Rashtrapati Bhavan later this year.
