Padma Awards 2026 Honour Sporting Icons Harmanpreet Kaur, Savita Punia, and Baldev Singh
The Government of India has announced the prestigious Padma Awards for 2026, with several prominent sportspersons being recognised for their exceptional contributions. Among the honourees are cricket captain Harmanpreet Kaur, hockey goalkeeper Savita Punia, and legendary coach Baldev Singh, all of whom have been conferred with the Padma Shri, India's fourth-highest civilian award.
Harmanpreet Kaur: A Historic World Cup Triumph
Harmanpreet Kaur, who led the Indian women's cricket team to its maiden ICC Women's World Cup victory in November 2025, has been honoured for her groundbreaking achievement. This triumph made her the first Indian captain to lift the Women's World Cup and only the second Indian skipper overall to win a World Cup on home soil, following in the footsteps of MS Dhoni.
The Bhullar family, including Harmanpreet's father Harmendar Singh Bhullar, expressed immense joy over this recognition. "It's a huge honour for Harmanpreet and it's a surreal feeling to see her being chosen for the award. Cricket has been her life for so many years and has given her everything. When such awards are given, players are motivated further and it's a day of celebration for the whole Bhullar family as well as the whole of Punjab and India," Harmendar Singh told The Indian Express.
Savita Punia: The Pillar of Indian Women's Hockey
Savita Punia, a mainstay of the Indian women's hockey team for over a decade, is widely regarded as one of the finest goalkeepers of her generation. The 35-year-old made her senior international debut at the age of 20 and played a pivotal role in India's historic fourth-place finish at the Tokyo Olympics. Her experience proved crucial during India's appearances at the Rio Olympics in 2016 and the 2018 Women's Hockey World Cup, where the team reached the quarterfinals.
After taking over the captaincy following the Tokyo Games, Savita led India to a bronze medal at the 2022 Commonwealth Games in Birmingham and a title triumph at the FIH Nations Cup the same year. Under her leadership, India also won back-to-back Women's Asian Champions Trophy titles in 2023 and 2024.
Savita's father, Mahender Singh Punia, emphasised that the award recognises his daughter's years of dedication. "When such honours are bestowed upon, it's the recognition of the hard work as well as years of struggles. The award belongs to the country first and then the state and village and then the family. It's also the recognition of the dreams of girls like Savita, who dreamt of playing for India as a kid. And it will also inspire more girls to pick up the hockey stick and make India proud one day," he said.
Baldev Singh: The Architect of Women's Hockey Excellence
Coach Baldev Singh, a Dronacharya awardee, has been recognised for his transformative role in Indian women's hockey. Hailing from a village near Patiala, the 74-year-old Singh joined the Haryana Sports department as a coach at Shahbad in 1982. After a four-year stint, he returned to Shahbad in 1992 and played a crucial part in establishing the town as a nursery for Indian women's hockey.
Singh has coached notable Indian women's hockey captains such as Surinder Kaur, Ritu Rani, and Rani Rampal. More than 40 of his trainees have represented India, and over 150 have secured government jobs through their performances for India and various domestic teams.
Reflecting on his journey, Singh shared, "I became a coach after my friend the late Surjit Singh Randhawa told me to do a coaching diploma. When I was first posted by Haryana Sports Department at Shahbad, my focus was on men's teams but girls would also come to train. Later when I returned to Shahbad in 1992, we would make a lot of efforts to train women players and the town has seen more than 40 players donning India colours. To see the trainees represent India and win medals for India is the biggest reward for me."
The Padma Awards 2026 celebrate the remarkable achievements of these sporting icons, whose dedication and perseverance have brought glory to the nation and inspired countless aspiring athletes across India.
