At a time of deep political polarisation, India’s civilian honours have quietly emerged as a rare space of continuity and consensus. The Padma awards and the Bharat Ratna, often scrutinised for political signalling, have in recent years shown a discernible effort to rise above partisan divides, even as they have expanded their social and regional reach.
The honours list has cut across ideological lines, recognising leaders from rival political traditions for their public contributions. This year’s posthumous Padma Bhushans for former Jharkhand Chief Minister Shibu Soren and Padma Vibhushan for Left veteran V S Achuthanandan underline that trend. Earlier, Mulayam Singh Yadav was awarded the Padma Vibhushan in 2023, while Ghulam Nabi Azad and Tarun Gogoi received the Padma Bhushan. Leaders such as Sharad Pawar, P A Sangma, S C Jamir and Tokheho Sema have also figured on the list, even as CPI(M) leader Buddhadeb Bhattacharjee chose to decline the honour. The 2019 Bharat Ratna for Pranab Mukherjee alongside Nanaji Deshmukh and Bhupen Hazarika reinforced this bipartisan arc. That approach reached a symbolic high in 2024, when five Bharat Ratnas were announced. The selection—Karpoori Thakur, L K Advani, P V Narasimha Rao, Chaudhary Charan Singh and M S Swaminathan—spanned ideologies, eras and professions.
Yet, the more consequential shift has unfolded at the grassroots level. The Padma Shri, in particular, has undergone a quiet democratisation. Recent lists have foregrounded unsung heroes who are social workers, doctors, artists and educators from remote regions, many drawn from Dalit, tribal and backward communities. From Anke Gowda, a former bus conductor who built one of the world’s largest free-access libraries, to Tulasi Gowda, a Halakki community member revered for her encyclopaedic knowledge of plants; from the Godbole couple delivering healthcare in conflict-hit Bastar to professionals working with the disabled and burn victims, the idea of merit has been widened.
This dual emphasis on recognising towering public figures as well as individuals whose impact is felt far from the national spotlight has, over time, added to the Padma awards’ sheen. Any honours system invites hard scrutiny and disagreement over the political nature of choices often spills into the public domain. But India’s recent selections indicate an effort to broaden the idea of merit through greater inclusion, regional representation and social diversity. In this sense, the Padma awards are beginning to reflect a more layered understanding of national service.