Rohit Sharma, Harmanpreet Kaur to be honoured with Padma Shri Award in 2026

Rohit Sharma recently led India to two ICC titles. He guided the team to victory in the T20 World Cup in 2024 and the Champions Trophy in 2025. He retired from T20I cricket after winning the title in Barbados and later ended his Test career in 2025. Rohit now plays only in the 50-over format and is aiming to represent India in the 2027 World Cup.

Rohit has scored 20,109 runs across all formats in international cricket. He has hit 111 half-centuries and 50 centuries. His career has had a huge impact on Indian cricket.

Harmanpreet Kaur’s historic rise in Indian women’s cricket

Harmanpreet Kaur recently created history by becoming the first Indian captain in women’s cricket to win the Women’s World Cup. She also became the second Indian, after former captain MS Dhoni, to win a 50-over World Cup at home. For many years, the Women’s World Cup had stayed out of India’s reach, but Harmanpreet and her team delivered a memorable campaign.

The 2025 Women’s World Cup was Harmanpreet’s fifth major tournament since making her international debut in 2009.

𝗛𝗼𝗻𝗼𝘂𝗿𝗲𝗱 𝗯𝗲𝘆𝗼𝗻𝗱 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗳𝗶𝗲𝗹𝗱. 🇮🇳✨

Congratulations to Rohit Sharma and Harmanpreet Kaur on being conferred with the prestigious Padma Shri Award ahead of Republic Day, in recognition of their outstanding contribution to Indian cricket. 🏏#PlayBold #ನಮ್ಮRCB… pic.twitter.com/iyVQOrcvQz

— Royal Challengers Bengaluru (@RCBTweets) January 25, 2026

Match-winning performances and Padma Shri reaction

Harmanpreet scored 260 runs in eight innings during the tournament. Her standout performance was an 89 in the semi-final against Australia. India were under pressure after the first innings but made a strong comeback during the chase to successfully chase a record target of 339 and reach the final.

The final was played at the Dr DY Patil Sports Academy in Navi Mumbai. The Women in Blue defeated South Africa by 52 runs to create history.

Reacting to the Padma Shri honour, Harmanpreet said in a Mumbai Indians video, “My dad got a call from the President’s House. This year I am going to receive the Padma Shri Award. It is a very big moment for me, and I am happy that my parents came to know before me.”

She also congratulated Rohit Sharma, saying, “Many congratulations to Rohit as well. We have seen how hard he has worked, and this is a great moment for him.”

Harmanpreet began her international career in March 2009 and gained global attention in 2017 with a famous World Cup innings against Australia. She received the Arjuna Award the same year.

“The moment I started playing cricket, I dreamed of winning the World Cup, the Arjuna Award, and the Padma Shri. This is a very big achievement for me,” she said.

This year, 113 people from different fields such as sports, arts, literature, and public service were named for the Padma Shri. Former tennis star Vijay Amritraj was the only sportsperson to receive the Padma Bhushan, India’s third-highest civilian honour.