Padma Awards 2026: Actor R Madhavan awarded with Padma Shri
Jan 25, 2026
New Delhi [India], January 25 : Actor R Madhavan is set to be conferred the Padma Shri, one of India's highest civilian awards, by President Droupadi Murmu for his contributions to the Indian cinema industry.
On the eve of Republic Day 2026, the Ministry of Home Affairs announced the recipients of this year's Padma Awards, honouring individuals for their remarkable contributions to the nation. It includes Padma Vibhushan, Padma Bhushan and Padma Shri. Madhavan has been named alongside distinguished individuals from the fields of art, education, sports, and various other disciplines.
Madhavan is a popular actor in Indian cinema who has worked in films across diverse languages, including Tamil, Telugu, and Hindi. The actor debuted in Bollywood with the film 'Rehna Hai Tere Dil Mein' in 2001. In 2000, Madhavan gained recognition in Tamil cinema by playing the lead role in Mani Ratnam's romantic drama film Alai Payuthey.
He has also worked in Tamil films, including Kannathil Muthamittal, Run, Anbe Sivam, Aaytha Ezhuth and others. Madhavan also pursued an active career in the Hindi film industry, appearing in supporting roles in films including Rakeysh Omprakash Mehra's Rang De Basanti, Mani Ratnam's biopic Guru, and Rajkumar Hirani's '3 Idiots'.
3 Idiots was one of the highest grossing film of all time after its release.
The actor is also known for his films 'Tanu Weds Manu' and 'Tanu Weds Manu Returns'. The actor made his directorial debut with the movie 'Rocketry: The Nambi Effect'. The film garnered recognition with several awards and honours, including winning the National Film Award for Best Feature Film.
The actor was recently seen in the blockbuster film 'Dhurandhar' starring Ranveer Singh in the lead role. It was directed by Aditya Dhar. The sequel to the film is slated to hit theatres on March 19, 2026.
For the year 2026, the President has approved conferment of 131 Padma Awards, including 2 duo cases (in a duo case, the Award is counted as one). The list comprises 5 Padma Vibhushan, 13 Padma Bhushan and 113 Padma Shri Awards. 19 of the awardees are women, and the list also includes 6 persons from the category of Foreigners / NRI / PIO / OCI, and 16 Posthumous awardees.
The Padma Awards are conferred on the recommendations made by the Padma Awards Committee, which is constituted by the Prime Minister every year.
