President Droupadi Murmu unveiled the Padma Awards 2023 just before Republic Day, keeping alive a tradition of celebrating extraordinary service to the nation. A total of 106 awards were announced – six Padma Vibhushan, nine Padma Bhushan and 91 Padma Shri – spanning a wide range of fields from art to engineering.

Literature & Education Winners

The literature and education bracket saw a mix of seasoned writers, educators and social activists. Among the Padma Bhushan honorees, Bihar’s own Anand Kumar was celebrated for his revolutionary teaching methods that have empowered countless under‑privileged students.

• Padma Shri awardees include Radha Charan Gupta (Uttar Pradesh), C. I. Issac (Kerala), Rattan Singh Jaggi (Punjab), Prabhakar Bhanudas Mande (Maharashtra) and Antaryami Mishra (Odisha).
• These recipients represent diverse linguistic and regional backgrounds, reflecting the rich tapestry of Indian literature and pedagogy.

Many of the awardees have also initiated grassroots projects – from setting up rural libraries to launching digital classrooms – that are reshaping how knowledge reaches the masses.

Science & Engineering Honorees

In the science and engineering sector, the top honour, Padma Vibhushan, went to Shri Srinivas Varadhan, a mathematician based in the United States, for his groundbreaking work in probability theory. His research continues to influence fields as varied as finance, physics and artificial intelligence.

Padma Bhushan recognitions were awarded to Shri Ganesh Nagappa Krishnarajanagara (Andhra Pradesh) and Shri Arvind Kumar (Uttar Pradesh), both noted for contributions to aerospace and defense technologies.

• Padma Shri laureates in this category feature Modadugu Vijay Gupta (Telangana), known for his innovations in biomedical engineering, and Prof. (Dr.) Mahendra Pal (Gujarat), a veteran in renewable energy research.
• The list also includes several young scientists whose patents and publications are already making waves globally.

Beyond the individual stories, the 2023 roster highlighted inclusivity – 19 women were honoured, two were foreign nationals of Indian origin, and seven awards were given posthumously, ensuring that contributions across time and geography are remembered.

The formal ceremony will take place at Rashtrapati Bhawan later this year, where the President will personally confer the medals, cementing these achievements into the nation’s historic narrative.