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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Texas halts H-1B visas at state universities, agencies; to affect Indians
Houston (US) (PTI): Texas Governor Greg Abbott has ordered state agencies and public universities to immediately halt new H-1B visa petitions, tightening hiring rules at taxpayer-funded institutions, a step likely to impact Indian professionals.
The freeze will remain in effect through May 2027.
The directive issued on Tuesday said that the state agencies and public universities must stop filing new petitions unless they receive written approval from the Texas Workforce Commission.
The governor's order, in a red state that is home to thousands of H-1B visa holders, comes as the Trump administration has initiated steps to reshape the visa programme.
“In light of recent reports of abuse in the federal H-1B visa programme, and amid the federal government’s ongoing review of that programme to ensure American jobs are going to American workers, I am directing all state agencies to immediately freeze new H-1B visa petitions as outlined in this letter,” Abbot said.
Institutions must also report on H-1B usage, including numbers, job roles, countries of origin, and visa expiry dates, the letter said.
US President Donald Trump on September 19 last year signed a proclamation ‘Restriction on entry of certain non-immigrant workers’ that restricted the entry into the US of those workers whose H-1B petitions are not accompanied or supplemented by a payment of USD 1,00,000.
The H1-B visa fee of USD 1,00,000 would be applicable only to new applicants, i.e. all new H-1B visa petitions submitted after September 21, including those for the FY2026 lottery.
Indians make up an estimated 71 per cent of all approved H-1B applications in recent years, according to US Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS), with China in the second spot. The major fields include technology, engineering, medicine, and research.
Tata Consultancy Services (TCS) is the second-highest beneficiary with 5,505 approved H-1B visas in 2025, after Amazon (10,044 workers on H-1B visas), according to the USCIS. Other top beneficiaries include Microsoft (5,189), Meta (5,123), Apple (4,202), Google (4,181), Deloitte (2,353), Infosys (2,004), Wipro (1,523) and Tech Mahindra Americas (951).
Texas public universities employ hundreds of foreign faculty and researchers, many from India, across engineering, healthcare, and technology fields.
Date from Open Doors -- a comprehensive information resource on international students and scholars studying or teaching at higher education institutions in the US -- for 2022-2023 showed 2,70,000 students from India embarked on graduate and undergraduate degrees in US universities, accounting for 25 per cent of the international student population in the US and 1.5 per cent of the total student population.
Indian students infuse roughly USD 10 billion annually into universities and related businesses across the country through tuition and other expenses – while also creating around 93,000 jobs, according to the Open Doors data.
Analysts warn the freeze could slow recruitment of highly skilled professionals, affecting academic research and innovation.
Supporters say the directive protects local jobs, while critics caution it could weaken Texas’ competitiveness in higher education and research.
The order comes amid broader debate in the US over skilled immigration and state-level interventions in federal programmes.
H-1B visas allow US companies to hire technically-skilled professionals that are not easily available in America. Initially granted for three years, these can be extended for another three years.
In September 2025, Trump had also signed an executive order ‘The Gold Card’, aimed at setting up a new visa pathway for those committed to supporting the United States; with individuals who can pay USD 1 million to the US Treasury, or USD 2 million if a corporation is sponsoring them, to get access to expedited visa treatment and a path to a Green Card.
