Chandigarh: The Haryana Government has invited nominations for the prestigious Padma Awards, including Padma Vibhushan, Padma Bhushan and Padma Shri. These awards, among the highest civilian honours of the country, will be announced on January 26, 2027, on the occasion of Republic Day.
Chief Secretary Anurag Rastogi, in a letter addressed to all Administrative Secretaries, Divisional Commissioners and Deputy Commissioners, has directed that recommendations for the Padma Awards should be submitted by June 10, 2026 at political2.hry@gmail.com or hrathee.cso@hry.gov.in. The Central Government will accept only those nominations or recommendations that are submitted through the online portal https://awards.gov.in. Therefore, all recommendations must be sent in the prescribed format.
Online nominations/recommendations for these awards have already commenced from March 15, 2026, and the last date for submission is July 31, 2026. It is mandatory to strictly adhere to this timeline, and no nomination or recommendation received after the deadline will be considered.
The Padma Awards Padma Vibhushan, Padma Bhushan and Padma Shri—are among the highest civilian honours of India. Instituted in 1954, these awards are announced every year on Republic Day. The objective of these awards is to recognise “distinguished service” in various fields such as art, literature and education, sports, medicine, social work, science and engineering, public affairs, civil service, trade and industry. These awards are open to all individuals without distinction of race, occupation, position or gender.
Traditionally, nominations are invited from all State Governments, Union Territories and various other sources to ensure that a wide pool of deserving individuals is considered. All nominations/recommendations will be accepted only through the online National Awards Portal. It is essential that all required details are clearly filled in the prescribed format available on the portal, along with a detailed citation describing the exceptional and distinguished achievements or service of the nominee in their respective field. While submitting nominations online, it must be ensured that all information provided is complete and accurate. Detailed guidelines and steps for submission are available on the portal, and the relevant rules and regulations governing these awards are also accessible on the official website.
It has been observed in the past that despite a large number of nominations being received, several deserving and talented individuals remain overlooked, often because they do not seek publicity or public recognition. Therefore, special efforts should be made to identify such individuals who have made outstanding contributions in their fields and deserve recognition, and to submit appropriate nominations in their favour. Honouring such individuals will further enhance the dignity and prestige of these awards.
To facilitate the nomination process, a special search committee may be constituted to identify, examine and finalise suitable recommendations. While finalising nominations, due care should be taken to ensure that the individuals recommended are truly deserving based on their lifetime achievements. The selection criteria should be based on “Excellence Plus”, maintaining the highest standards. Contribution to public service will be considered an important and desirable aspect.
Efforts should also be made to identify deserving individuals from among women, weaker sections of society, Scheduled Castes, Scheduled Tribes, and persons with disabilities. Generally, the awards are not conferred posthumously. However, in highly deserving cases, if the person proposed to be honoured has passed away recently—within one year prior to the Republic Day on which the award is to be announced—the award may be conferred posthumously.
A person who has already received an award may be considered for a Padma Award, provided at least five years have elapsed since the previous award. However, this condition may be relaxed in exceptional cases. Except for doctors and scientists, government employees and employees of public sector undertakings are not eligible for these awards.
