Uttar Pradesh has made its mark in this year’s Padma Awards, with personalities from the state receiving one Padma Vibhushan and 10 Padma Shri honours. The awards were announced by the Home Ministry on the eve of Republic Day on Sunday.
Among the five Padma Vibhushan awardees announced across the country, renowned classical musician N Rajam has been honored in the field of arts, adding to the rich cultural heritage of UP. Although the state has no representation in the Padma Bhushan category this year, it features prominently in the Padma Shri list, which recognizes distinguished service in various fields.
The 10 Padma Shri awardees from UP in various disciplines include Anil Kumar Rastogi (Arts), Ashok Kumar Singh (Science and Engineering), Chiranji Lal Yadav (Arts), Buddha Rashmi Mani (Archaeology), Mangala Kapoor (Literature and Education), Praveen Kumar (Sports), Raghupath Singh (Agriculture, posthumously), Kewal Krishna Thakral (Medicine), Rajendra Prasad (Medicine) and Shyam Sundar (Medicine).
Congratulating all the award winners, Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath said that their contribution has strengthened the intellectual, cultural and social foundation of India.
“Their dedication and excellence in arts, science, medicine, literature, agriculture and sports reflects the timeless values ​​and immense potential of our great state and nation,” he said in a post on Twitter.
Padma Vibhushan for violinist N Rajam
Renowned classical violinist N Rajam has been awarded the Padma Vibhushan for his extraordinary contribution to Indian classical music.
Expressing happiness over the honour, Professor Rajam said that the award brought back memories of his long association with Kashi. Although she now lives in Mumbai, she said that her soul lives in Varanasi. He also paid obeisance at Kashi Vishwanath temple.
Professor Rajam taught music at Banaras Hindu University for nearly four decades and shaped generations of musicians. A prodigious talent, he revolutionized the Hindustani violin by introducing the ‘Gayaki Ang’, especially the Khayal style of instrument.
His technique transformed violin playing in North Indian classical music and earned him recognition as a pioneer. With a career spanning over five decades, Professor Rajam has secured his place among the great legends of Indian music.
Happy to receive this prestigious honour: Anil Rastogi
Former scientist at CSIR-CDRI, Lucknow and renowned actor and theater artiste Anil Kumar Rastogi, who will turn 83 in April, is a unique combination of art, science and social work. Rastogi is the senior-most and probably the only actor in the country who, at the age of 82, is still acting in all four forms of dramatic expression – theatre, radio, TV and film.
Rastogi said, “I feel very happy and satisfied to receive this prestigious honour. For quite some time, many of my friends have been telling me that I deserve this honor considering all my achievements. I am happy to bring a smile on their faces.” He received the UP Sangeet Natak Akademi Award in 1984, UP Sangeet Natak Akademi Fellow in 2007 and Yash Bharti (the highest award of the UP government) in 2016.
Archeology honors Buddha Rashmi Mani
Senior archaeologist Buddha Rashmi Mani, a key figure in the Ram Janmabhoomi excavations and former Director General of the National Museum, has been honored for his contribution to archaeology. A leading official of the Archaeological Survey of India (ASI), Mani served the organization for 34 years, holding positions including Deputy Superintendent Archaeologist and heading several excavation branches.
Mani, best known for leading the court-ordered excavation at the Ram Janmabhoomi-Babri Masjid site in Ayodhya in 2003, described the task as the most challenging of his career. “The entire work was done under court supervision and the report was to be submitted within 15 days. We excavated 90 trenches,” he told HT.
Beyond Ayodhya, his work includes excavations at Kapilvastu and in Kashmir, Daulatabad and Sarnath. After retiring from ASI in 2015, Mani served as the Director General of the National Museum and Vice-Chancellor of the National Museum Institute until April 2025. He continued as Vice President of ASI and taught, advised PhD scholars, and published extensively.
The award will keep me motivated, says Professor Rajendra Prasad
Professor Rajendra Prasad, former head of the Department of Pulmonary Medicine at King George’s Medical University (KGMU), has previously served as Director of Vallabhbhai Patel Chest Institute, Delhi and Vice Chancellor of UP University of Medical Sciences, Saifai.
Reacting to the honour, Professor Prasad said that this will continue to inspire him. He said, “It is an honor for me that will keep me motivated throughout my life. I became a doctor with the inspiration of my father, who was a successful businessman.”
Ashok Kumar Singh honored for rice research
Ashok Kumar Singh, a resident of Barhat village in Ghazipur district and former director of the Indian Agricultural Research Institute (IARI), Pusa, New Delhi, has been honored for his research on different varieties of Basmati rice. Singh, a plant geneticist, is known for developing high-yielding Basmati rice varieties. His research focused on integrating molecular breeding with traditional methods to improve grain quality and disease resistance.
Singh completed his early education from Mahavir Inter College, Malikpur, where he stood fourth in UP Board. Later he studied BSc and MSc (Agriculture) from Banaras Hindu University and obtained PhD degree from IARI, Pusa.
A dream come true, says Praveen Kumar
22-year-old para athlete Praveen Kumar described his nomination for the award as a “dream come true”.
Kumar said, “It is a dream come true for me. I had never imagined such an honor in my life.” He said that this honor will motivate him to perform even better in future.
He said, “This award will motivate me to give my best performance in my sports career. I am grateful to my friends, coaches and everyone who supported me at every stage.” The high jumper, who hails from Govindgarh in Gautam Buddh Nagar (Noida), won the gold medal in the T64 category at the 2024 Paris Paralympics, after securing a silver medal at the 2020 Tokyo Paralympics. Kumar had earlier won a gold medal in the T64 category at the 2022 Asian Para Games in Hangzhou and a bronze medal at the World Para Athletics Championships held in New Delhi last year.
Professor Shyam Sundar honored for diagnosis, treatment of Kala-azar
Professor Shyam Sundar, Department of Medicine, IMS-BHU, was honored for his significant contribution in the diagnosis and treatment of Kala-azar. Professor Sundar completed MD (Medicine) from IMS-BHU in 1981 and has been teaching medical sciences at the institute for more than three decades. He is widely recognized as a renowned and highly respected teacher.
He developed a method for treating kala-azar with a single dose of liposomal amphotericin B, which is currently being used under India’s kala-azar control programme. He also successfully tested multi-drug therapy, including the combination of paromomycin and miltefosine, which is now used in primary health centers under the National Control Programme. Professor Sundar developed Miltefosine, the first effective drug for Kala-azar, which is being used in India, Nepal and Bangladesh and globally. He also tested the RK-39 strip test, a major advancement in kala-azar diagnosis. He thanked the government and said that this honor has recognized his work.
Lifetime of Moradabad artisan engraved in brass
74-year-old master artisan Chiranji Lal Yadav has been selected for the award in the field of art for his contribution in the preservation and promotion of traditional brass engraving.
Born and brought up in Moradabad, Yadav grew up immersed in the city’s age-old brass ware tradition. He formally began working in brass engraving in 1970 and has devoted over 55 years to mastering the craft. Known for intricate designs on vases, plates, tea coasters, trays and decorative figures, his work includes floral patterns, animals and traditional Indian motifs.
Commenting on the award, Yadav said that the honor was a moment of great joy and reaffirmed his commitment to take the art forward.
Posthumous honor to Moradabad farmer
Late Raghupat Singh, a leading farmer of Moradabad district, will be honored posthumously for his outstanding contribution to agriculture. Singh, who died in July last year at the age of 85, will be honored with the award by the President of India for his lifelong work in seed conservation, purification and crop development.
A seasoned farmer with over six decades of practical experience, Raghupat Singh exemplified grassroots innovation rooted in traditional agricultural knowledge and practical application. Singh, a resident of Samthal village in Moradabad, dedicated his life to improving crop varieties suited to the local environment. Over the years, he developed over 100 plant varieties, focusing primarily on vegetables and other crops, with the aim of improving yield, resilience and nutritional value. According to his family members, Singh’s agricultural philosophy focused on natural, sustainable and self-sustaining farming practices.
Professor Mangala thanked PM Modi for the award
Professor Mangala Kapoor, who taught music at Banaras Hindu University (BHU) for 30 years, has been honored with the Padma Shri for her contribution to literature and education.
Kapoor expressed his gratitude to Prime Minister Narendra Modi for the honour. Recounting her life journey she said that she survived an acid attack at the age of 12, a traumatic experience that almost broke her spirit. Despite facing ridicule, she credited her parents’ support for helping her pursue her education. Kapoor completed her graduation, post-graduation and PhD in music from BHU and started teaching there in 1989, retiring in 2019. A practitioner of the Gwalior Gharana, she is also known for giving free music lessons and using music as a means of social change.
