Padma Awards: Muslim artists, scholars honoured for excellence in folk arts, literature, education
New Delhi: Veteran actor Mammootty and four other distinguished Muslim personalities have been honoured with the Padma Awards 2026, on the eve of Republic Day. The awards recognise outstanding contributions across fields such as art, culture, literature and education.
Muhammad Kutty Panaparambil Ismail, famed as Mammootty, the towering figure of Malayalam cinema has been conferred the Padma Bhushan, the country’s second-highest civilian award. With a career spanning more than five decades, the multilingual actor has featured in over 400 films including Malayalam, Tamil, Telugu, Kannada, Hindi and English.
Speaking to Mathrubhumi News, Mammootty said, "Santosham, athi santhosham… there is nothing bigger than the honour from the country"
Mammootty was previously honoured with the Padma Shri in 2021 and was a National Film Awardee thrice; In addition to it, he also have won 11 Kerala State Film Awards.
Ghaffaruddin Mewati Jogi, from Rajasthan, one among the other Padma Shree awardees, has been recognised for his contribution to folk arts. The maestro of the Bhapang instrument and the sole surviving practitioner of Pandun ka Kada, a Mahabharata-based folk story telling custom, he has preserved the said folk art for about six decades. Hailing from the Mewati Jogi community, celebrated for the syncretic musical heritage, Ghaffaruddin’s performances were abstracts from epics like Mahabharata and Ramayana; Also, his narratives were centred around Hindu deities like Shiva, Shri Ram, and Shri Krishna. Responding to the honour came his way, he said, "It is a great joy to see my work recognised at the national level. I hope our folk traditions continue to inspire future generations"
Gujarati folk musician Mir Hajibhai Kasambhai, famed as Haji Ramakdu, has also been awarded the Padma Shri. Renowned for his excellence in playing the Dholak, he has performed extensively in various genres including Bhajans, Santvani, Ghazals and Qawwali, with more than 3,000 performances and over 1,000 stage shows to his credit.
Nuruddin Ahmed, an Assamese sculptor and visual artist, has been honoured for his contributions to art and culture. Famed for his Durga Puja idols, temple sculptures and large-scale installations, his creations reflect a blend of scriptural knowledge and artistic craftsmanship. He has also sculpted figures of prominent Assamese personalities such as Bhupen Hazarika and Gopinath Bordoloi.
Responding to the honour came his way, he said, "Art is a way to connect with people and culture. I am humbled that my work has been recognised nationally"
Prof. Shafi Shauq, an academic and literary figure from Kashmir, has also been named for the Padma Shri in recognition of his contributions to education and literature. Born in 1950, Shauq has authored, edited and translated more than 100 works in Kashmiri, Urdu, Hindi and English, including the widely regarded Keeshur Lugaat and Kaeshir Zabana ti Adibuk Tawaariekh. He served as a professor at the University of Kashmir for over 30 years, mentoring generations of students and scholars. "It is a matter of immense pride to be recognised for work I have devoted my life to" Shauq expressed his joy.
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Priyank Kharge backs AICC chief’s ‘snake’ remark, hits out at Assam CM
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Bengaluru (PTI): Karnataka Minister Priyank Kharge on Wednesday defended his father and AICC President Mallikarjun Kharge’s "poisonous snake" remark against the BJP and RSS.
He also hit out at Assam Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma, calling him "frustrated" and accusing him of "caste privilege" over his remarks on Mallikarjun Kharge.
"What has he (Mallikarjun Kharge) said? He said one must act if one encounters a poisonous snake. If you find a poisonous snake, will you feed it milk and nurture it, or will you drive it away?" Kharge asked in response to a question.
Speaking to reporters, he said, "Who is sowing the seeds of communal poison in our society? Why? Should we save and nurture such ideologies and principles? No. That is what he (Mallikarjun Kharge) has said. We have been saying this for a long time, not just now."
Terming the RSS ideology and principles detrimental to the country’s and society’s progress, the minister said their perspective does not accommodate the Constitution, minorities, backward classes, Adivasis, Dalits, or even women. "They believe in Manusmriti; we follow the Constitution," he said.
Questioning what one would do upon encountering a poisonous snake, Kharge said, "Will you call a conservationist? They would take it and release it in the forest. If you don’t find a conservationist, what will you do? What do people in villages do? If an ideology is not good for the progress of the country, it should not be adopted."
At an election rally in Assam’s Sribhumi district on Monday, citing the Quran, Mallikarjun Kharge said that if a poisonous snake passes in front of someone offering namaz, the person should stop the prayer and kill the snake.
"I would say that breaking the namaz does not matter. The RSS and the BJP are that poisonous snake. If you don’t kill this snake, you will not survive," he said.
Calling Sarma "frustrated" over his remarks against the AICC chief, Priyank said Mallikarjun Kharge has been in politics for about 50 years, and that neither the BJP nor the Prime Minister has answers to the questions he raises in Parliament and outside.
"The sense of caste privilege instilled in Sarma after his RSS training was not there when he was in the Congress. Sarma belongs to the Brahmin community. He has that privilege and believes whatever he says is acceptable, whether it is against Dalits or Dalit leaders," he claimed, adding that this reflects RSS ideology and its adherence to ‘Chaturvarna’ (the four-fold varna system) thinking.
He further said Sarma comes from an "enlightened and awakened community" and believes he can speak against those from other communities.
He asked, "What does Prime Minister Modi have to say about this? Will he defend it? Will he accept comments made by his chief minister against the Leader of the Opposition in the Rajya Sabha?"
Sarma triggered a row on Tuesday when he hit out at Mallikarjun Kharge, saying he was "speaking like a madman" due to old age, after the latter called for central agencies to probe allegations against the Assam CM.
Reacting to the RSS filing a police complaint against Mallikarjun Kharge over his "poisonous snake" remarks, Priyank Kharge questioned how the organisation could do so if it is not registered.
"How can the RSS file a complaint? On what letterhead has it been filed? Individuals can file complaints, but I don’t know how the RSS can do so, as it has itself said it is unregistered. On one hand, they say they are unregistered; on the other, they claim their organisation has been insulted. Does this organisation exist or not?" he said.
He alleged that while the RSS has a structure and incurs expenditure, it does not pay income tax.
"What kind of patriotism is this? Is tax evasion patriotism? Then everyone will start doing it," he claimed.
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