"We have miles to go before we sleep...": Uday Kotak after conferred Padma Bhushan

New Delhi [India], January 26 : We have miles to go before we sleep, remarked veteran banker Uday Kotak on Monday as the government conferred upon him the Padma Bhushan for his contribution to the trade and industry sector. The Founder and Director of Kotak Mahindra Bank expressed his gratitude after being named among the 131 recipients of the Padma Awards 2026.
Uday Kotak, on X, noted that the India of today remains unrecognisable from the one he was born in. "I am humbled and honoured to be conferred the Padma Bhushan. The India of today is unrecognisable from the one I was born in. The journey has been exhilarating. On this Republic Day, we stand at the fork of many roads. I choose the path of karma with a sense of paranoia, with aspiration, but conscious of ground realities. I have a deep conviction that we, the people will make India even greater. We have miles to go before we sleep..."
Union Minister of Commerce and Industry Piyush Goyal also took to X to congratulate the veteran banker on the achievement. Goyal noted, "Congratulations to @UdayKotak ji, Founder & Director of Kotak Mahindra Bank, on being conferred with the Padma Bhushan for his instrumental role in shaping modern Indian banking. His contributions to strengthening the country's financial sector remain significant and are a reflection of strong leadership & a long-term vision to further advance India's banking ecosystem."
The Ministry of Home Affairs announced the Padma Awards 2026 on the eve of the 77th Republic Day, recognising excellence and service across diverse fields. The 2026 list comprises 131 awardees, including five Padma Vibhushan, 13 Padma Bhushan, and 113 Padma Shri recipients. The awards span categories such as art, public affairs, medicine, literature and education, sports, science and engineering, social work, and trade and industry.
The current year's honours include 19 women awardees and six individuals from the category of foreigners or persons of Indian origin abroad. The government also conferred 16 posthumous honours as part of the announcement.