Five eminent personalities from Assam have been conferred with Padma Shri Awards in the field of art and public affairs.
President Droupadi Murmu presented Padma Vibhushan, Padma Bhushan and Padma Shri Awards for the year 2026 at the Civil Investiture Ceremony-II held at Rashtrapati Bhavan on Tuesday evening.
Among the dignitaries present on the occasion were the Vice President of India, Prime Minister and Union Minister for Home Affairs.
The recipients from Assam include Haricharan Saikia who was awarded for his lifelong contribution to the preservation and promotion of the Sattriya classical dance tradition. Jogesh Deuri received the honour for his efforts in strengthening the silk sector and advancing Eri silk-based livelihood and value chains.
Similarly, Nuruddin Ahmed was recognised for his contribution to Assamese theatre and stagecraft, enriching modern performance art in the state. Pokhila Lekthepi was honoured for her role in preserving and promoting Karbi folk music and traditional cultural expression.
Kabindra Purkayastha was conferred the Padma Shri posthumously for his service in public affairs and social contribution. The recognition of these five awardees highlights Assam’s strong presence in this year’s Padma honours, particularly in the fields of culture, traditional knowledge, and public service.
Apart from Assam, four personalities from other states of the Northeast were also honoured for their achievements.
From Nagaland, Sangyusang S. Pongener was recognised for preserving traditional Ao tribal arts. From Arunachal Pradesh, Techi Gubin was awarded for community development work.
From Manipur, Yumnam Jatra Singh was honoured posthumously for his contribution to traditional performing arts. From Tripura, Naresh Chandra Dev Varma was recognised for his work in education and literature. From Meghalaya, Hally War received the award for contributions in health and community welfare.
