National Awards 2025 as India bid adieu to 2024 and ushered in 2025, the country also celebrated hidden gems and hidden heroes through the prestigious Padma awards and the 71st National Film Awards. These awards reflect India’s diversity and excellence in areas ranging from social service to cinema.
🌟 Padma Shri Honours: Unsung Heroes of 2025
National Awards in January 2025, President conferred Padma Shri awards on 113 individuals for their exceptional contributions to society. Among them:
- Radha Bahin Bhatt, a Gandhian environmentalist from Uttarakhand, was honoured for untiring work in women’s empowerment and forest conservation Radha Bahin Bhatt – Wikipedia
- Jumde Yomgam Gamlin received recognition for his social initiatives in Arunachal Pradesh, leading grassroots drug de-addiction and women’s empowerment efforts.
- In Bihar, journalist Bhim Singh Bhavesh was acknowledged for empowering the marginalised Musahar community through education and health awareness.
- Lavjibhai Parmar, a veteran weaver from Gujarat, was celebrated for reviving and promoting the endangered Tanglia textile art form .
These awardees demonstrate how tradition, service, and innovation continue to uplift communities across India.
Pleased to have hosted the stalwarts who have been honored with the Padma Awards 2025. Interacting with them about their unique life journeys and the changes they have fostered in society was an engrossing experience. Their achievements will inspire generations. pic.twitter.com/bRclojzO7Q
— Amit Shah (@AmitShah) May 27, 2025
🎬 Spotlight on Indian Cinema: The 71st National Film Awards
Announced on August 1, 2025, the 71st National Film Awards honoured films certified in 2023. The event showcased cinematic brilliance in regional and mainstream Indian cinema
Major highlights include:
- Best Feature Film: 12th Fail, directed by Vidhu Vinod Chopra, was declared the top film of the year
- Best Actor: The award was jointly given to Shah Rukh Khan for Jawan and Vikrant Massey for 12th Fail. For SRK, this marked his first National Award after 33 years in the industry—a milestone eagerly celebrated by fans and film circles alike
- Best Actress: Rani Mukerji won for her sensitive performance in Mrs. Chatterjee vs Norway
- Best Director: Sudipto Sen was awarded for the controversial yet widely discussed The Kerala Story, sparking both praise and pushback—including criticism from Kerala’s Chief Minister regarding its thematic underpinnings
Padma Bhushan – Art Kollywood
— Thanga Pandi – ( AK MAFIA ) 👑💥 (@Thanga_PandiAFC) January 25, 2025
Year 1984 : Sivaji Ganesan
Year 2000 : Rajinikanth
Year 2014 : Kamal Haasan
Year 2024 : Vijayakanth
Year 2025 : AjithKumar 🔥🔥🔥#PadmabhushanAjithKumar #Ajithkumar | #PadmaBhushan pic.twitter.com/NMwYM5nX8R
- Padma Bhushan – Art Kollywood Year 1984 : Sivaji Ganesan Year 2000 : Rajinikanth Year 2014 : Kamal Haasan Year 2024 : Vijayakanth Year 2025 : AjithKumar
Regional cinema earned its place too:
- Parking (Tamil) bagged Best Tamil Films; Bhagavanth Kesari (Telugu) Best Telugu Film; Shyamchi Aai (Marathi), Vash (Gujarati), Deep Fridge (Bengali), Rongatapu 1982 (Assamese), Kandeelu (Kannada), Pushkara (Odia), Kathal: A Jackfruit Mystery (Hindi) and Ullazhukku (Malayalam) won regional best film titles
To this magnanimous AURA, stupendous SCREEN-PRESENCE, one of the very few actors to rock even in the extreme CLOSE-UP shots and to the greatest MASS GOD…
— Balayya Trends (@NBKTrends) April 27, 2025
Finally, the much deserved PADMA BHUSHAN in ARTS category is being conferred to #NandamuriBalakrishna garu tomorrow ❤️… pic.twitter.com/XrxKi1I35Q
Other notable technical and creative awards included:
- Best Music Direction (Songs): Vaathi by G. V. Prakash Kumar, marking his second national honour
- Best Female Playback Singer: Shilpa Rao for Jawan; Best Male Playback Singer: PVN S Rohit for Baby (Telugu)
- Best Direction, Cinematography, Editing, Sound Design, Acting in Supporting Roles, Choreography, Lyrics, and more honoured creatives across Animal, The Kerala Story, Rocky Aur Rani Kii Prem Kahaani, Pookkaalam, and Parking
🧭 Why These Awards Matter
Padma and National Awards 2025, together create a tapestry of our social and cultural fabric — they showcase the grit, determination, artistry, compassion and courage that has driven India’s film industry.
The Padma Shri awardees are a tribute to those who achieved the impossible, artists, environment activists, champions for the rural and men and women of underdogs.
With the National Film Awards, where Bollywood’s “art film” stars come–if you think of them as such–we see how not only mainstream stars but regional stories too are touching hearts and winning awards at the national stage.
Whether it is SRK getting a national recognition after waiting for ages to the Regional Films.
Whether you identify with the powerful storytelling on screen, or the silent revolution of social change in towns and villages, these awards confirm that excellence has no boundaries
🧾 In Summary
- Padma Shri 2025 honored social workers and cultural artists such as Bhatt, Gamlin, Bhavesh, and Parmar.
- 71st National Film Awards 2025 recognized cinema stalwarts: SRK, Vikrant Massey, Rani Mukerji, and others, across geographies and genres.
- These awards are a reminder of India’s substantive artistic and societal contributions during 2025.