Three distinguished personalities from Bihar—folk singer Bharat Singh Bharti, folk dance exponent Vishwa Bandhu (posthumous), and agricultural scientist Dr. Gopal Ji Trivedi (posthumous)—have been conferred the Padma Shri 2026, India's fourth-highest civilian honour. The awards recognise their lifelong contributions to folk music, folk dance, and agricultural science, highlighting Bihar's enduring contribution to India's cultural heritage and rural development.
The President of India approved 131 Padma Awards for 2026, comprising 5 Padma Vibhushan, 13 Padma Bhushan and 113 Padma Shri awards. Among the recipients, Bihar's three awardees represent excellence in Arts and Science & Engineering/Agriculture, reflecting national recognition for preserving intangible cultural heritage and advancing sustainable rural development.
Born on 20 November 1936 in Nonaur village, Bhojpur district, Bharat Singh Bharti began his musical journey through village kirtan mandalis at the age of ten. He later received formal training in tabla and vocal music under renowned musician Shatrunjay Prasad Singh ('Lalan Ji').Over nearly seven decades, he has emerged as one of the foremost ambassadors of Bhojpuri folk music, preserving its traditional purity while protecting it from vulgarisation. His repertoire includes more than 5,000 folk songs, covering devotional, seasonal, ceremonial and rural traditions. Apart from Bhojpuri, he has performed in Magahi, Maithili, Vajjika, Hindi, Bengali, Tamil and other languages, demonstrating remarkable linguistic versatility.His performances have taken Bihar's folk traditions to Mauritius, Australia and several international platforms, contributing significantly to the global recognition of Bhojpuri culture. Before receiving the Padma Shri, he had also been honoured with the Sangeet Natak Akademi Amrit Award and the Bhikhari Thakur Smriti Samman.
Born on 23 November 1930 at Shahpur (Danapur), Patna, Vishwa Bandhu is regarded as one of Bihar's greatest folk dance revivalists. Despite strong social opposition during his childhood, he pursued dance under the guidance of Pandit Uday Shankar and Pandit Ram Jeevan Prasad, eventually dedicating his entire life to preserving India's folk dance traditions.Leaving his teaching career in 1958, he established Surangan in 1959 at Patna as an institution devoted to the promotion and free training of Bihar's folk dances. Through this platform, he trained thousands of students and organised over 6,000 cultural performances across India and abroad.His most enduring contribution was transforming Domkach, a traditional wedding dance of Magadh and Mithila, from village courtyards into a nationally recognised folk dance form while preserving its indigenous character. He also directed several dance dramas through the Indian People's Theatre Association (IPTA) and used folk performances during the 1962 Sino-Indian War to generate patriotic awareness. His dance drama on rural development presented during the 1962 Congress Session received appreciation from Prime Minister Jawaharlal Nehru.He passed away on 30 March 2025, and the Padma Shri 2026 was received posthumously by his wife Indu Kumari.
Dr. Gopal Ji Trivedi, born on 15 February 1930 in Matlupur village, Bandra Block, Muzaffarpur district, rose from a farming family to become one of India's most respected agricultural scientists.After completing his education at Bihar Agricultural College, Sabour, and earning a Ph.D. in Agricultural Extension Education from the Indian Agricultural Research Institute (IARI), New Delhi (1963), he served as Professor, Director of Extension Education and later Vice-Chancellor of Rajendra Agricultural University, Pusa (1988–1991).His pioneering work in Agricultural Extension Education transformed rural development in Bihar. He developed the widely recognised Trivedi Scale, an innovative framework for measuring the socio-economic status of rural households. He also introduced the Bihar Aquaculture Based Agriculture (BABA) Model, enabling farmers to convert waterlogged land into productive fish-based farming systems. His initiatives promoting winter maize cultivation, scientific litchi orchard management, and sustainable farming practices significantly enhanced rural livelihoods.Popularly known as "Gaon Purush," "Kishan Mitra," and "Karma Yogi," he spent over three decades working directly with farmers. His lifelong contributions had earlier earned him the Lifetime Achievement Award (2011) and the Krishi Rishi Award (2015). Following his demise on 12 May 2026, he was conferred the Padma Shri 2026 posthumously.
The recognition of these three personalities demonstrates India's continued emphasis on preserving intangible cultural heritage, strengthening regional linguistic and artistic traditions, and promoting grassroots scientific innovation. Their contributions have enhanced Bihar's identity in fields ranging from folk arts to agricultural transformation, while inspiring future generations to preserve indigenous knowledge systems.The awards also underline the importance of community-led institutions, cultural education and rural innovation in achieving inclusive national development.
Sustained institutional support for folk artists, cultural academies and agricultural innovators is essential for preserving India's rich heritage. Documentation of traditional art forms, expansion of community-based training centres, integration of folk culture into educational curricula, and greater investment in agricultural extension can ensure that the legacy of these eminent personalities continues to benefit future generations.
| Particular | Details |
|---|---|
| Instituted | 1954 |
| Administered by | Government of India |
| Categories | Padma Vibhushan, Padma Bhushan, Padma Shri |
| Purpose | Recognise distinguished service in Art, Literature, Education, Science & Engineering, Public Affairs, Medicine, Social Work, Sports, Civil Service and other fields |
| Presentation | Conferred by the President of India at Rashtrapati Bhavan |
| Particular | Details |
|---|---|
| Established | 1959 |
| Founder | Vishwa Bandhu |
| Headquarters | Patna, Bihar |
| Functions | Promotion and preservation of Bihar's folk dances, free training to students, organisation of cultural performances, preservation of traditional dance heritage |
| Particular | Details |
|---|---|
| Established | 1943 |
| Nature | Cultural movement promoting theatre, music and dance for social awareness |
| Role in Article | Platform through which Vishwa Bandhu directed several folk dance productions |
| Particular | Details |
|---|---|
| Established | 1905 (as Agricultural Research Institute); shifted to New Delhi in 1936 |
| Headquarters | New Delhi |
| Functions | Agricultural research, higher education and human resource development in agriculture |
| Particular | Details |
|---|---|
| Location | Pusa, Samastipur, Bihar |
| Role in Article | Dr. Gopal Ji Trivedi served as Vice-Chancellor (1988–1991) |
Updated - 26 May 2026; 06:31 PM | News Source:Navbharat Times, Dainik Jagran, The Times of India, Hindustan Times, ThePrint (PTI)