Kapil Tiwari
A Bhopal scholar of tribal and folk culture who led the Adivasi Lok Kala Academy for two decades, honoured with the Padma Shri in 2021.
- Padma Shri 2021
- Madhya Pradesh
Heroes in Literature & Education
Showing 49–72 of 130 heroes
Kethavath Somlal
A Banjara writer and singer from Telangana who translated the Bhagavad Gita into the Lambadi language, honoured with the Padma Shri in 2024.
- Padma Shri 2024
- Telangana
Khalil Dhantejvi
A Gujarati ghazal poet, novelist and film-maker from Dhantej, beloved for his ghazals in Gujarati and Urdu, honoured posthumously with the Padma Shri in 2022.
- Padma Shri 2022 (posthumous)
- Gujarat
Krishna Seshadri
A Mumbai history enthusiast who built BharatRajya, a free online atlas showing who ruled each part of India in any year since about 700 CE.
- Mann Ki Baat #137
- Maharashtra
Kundan Vyas
The chief editor of the Janmabhoomi group of Gujarati newspapers, a political reporter in Delhi for three decades, honoured with the Padma Bhushan in 2024.
- Padma Bhushan 2024
- Maharashtra
Kurella Vittalacharya
A Telugu poet and retired teacher who turned his village home into a library of more than two lakh books, honoured with the Padma Shri in 2024.
- Padma Shri 2024
- Telangana
Lakshmipathy Ramasubbaiyer
A Dinamalar newspaperman who rose from advertising executive to joint managing editor and founded colleges near Madurai, honoured with the Padma Shri in 2025.
- Padma Shri 2025
- Tamil Nadu
Lalit Kumar Mangotra
A physicist and leading Dogri writer who has chaired the Dogri Sanstha for 30 years and helped bring Dogri to computers, honoured with the Padma Shri in 2025.
- Padma Shri 2025
- Jammu and Kashmir
M. K. Sridhar
A Bengaluru educationist who helped draft the National Education Policy and leads Chanakya University, honoured with the Padma Shri in 2024.
- Padma Shri 2024
- Karnataka
M.T. Vasudevan Nair
A towering Malayalam novelist, screenwriter and director whose work shaped generations of readers, honoured posthumously with the Padma Vibhushan in 2025.
- Padma Vibhushan 2025 (posthumous)
- Kerala
Mahendra Kumar Mishra
An Odisha folklorist who led schooling in 21 tribal mother tongues and won a UNESCO language award, honoured with the Padma Shri in 2026.
- Padma Shri 2026
- Odisha
Mahendra Nath Roy
A North Bengal University chemist and founding vice-chancellor of Alipurduar University, honoured with the Padma Shri in 2026.
- Padma Shri 2026
- West Bengal
Mamidala Jagadesh Kumar
An electrical engineer from IIT Delhi who served as vice-chancellor of JNU and chairman of the UGC, honoured with the Padma Shri in 2026.
- Padma Shri 2026
- Delhi
Mangal Singh Hazowary
A Bodo poet, playwright and teacher-educator from Kokrajhar who has written more than 80 books, honoured with the Padma Shri in 2021.
- Padma Shri 2021
- Assam
Mangala Kapoor
A Varanasi classical singer who taught at BHU for 30 years and runs a free music school, honoured with the Padma Shri in 2026.
- Padma Shri 2026
- Uttar Pradesh
Maruti Chitampalli
A forest officer and Marathi nature writer known as the "sage of the forest", who helped create Maharashtra's sanctuaries, honoured with the Padma Shri in 2025.
- Padma Shri 2025
- Maharashtra
Mohammad Mansha Khaki
A Gojri poet, editor and translator from the Gujjar-Bakerwal community who spent three decades building up the literature of the Gojri language.
- Mann Ki Baat #110
- Jammu and Kashmir
Mohan Singh
A Dogri poet and playwright from Samba who led the campaign to add Dogri to the Constitution's Eighth Schedule, honoured with the Padma Shri in 2023.
- Padma Shri 2023
- Jammu and Kashmir
Mridula Sinha
A Hindi writer of more than 64 books who served as the first woman Governor of Goa, honoured posthumously with the Padma Shri in 2021.
- Padma Shri 2021 (posthumous)
- Bihar
Muni Narayana Prasad
Head of the Narayana Gurukula and author of some 130 books on Indian philosophy, honoured with the Padma Shri in 2024. He died in 2026.
- Padma Shri 2024
- Kerala
Nagendranath Roy
A Rajbanshi-language poet and writer from Jalpaiguri, best known for his Rajbanshi Ramayana, honoured with the Padma Shri in 2025.
- Padma Shri 2025
- West Bengal
Najma Akhtar
An education administrator who became Jamia Millia Islamia's first woman vice-chancellor, honoured with the Padma Shri in 2022.
- Padma Shri 2022
- Delhi
Namdeo C Kamble
A Washim writer who went from school watchman to teacher and won the Sahitya Akademi Award for his novel Raghavvel, honoured with the Padma Shri in 2021.
- Padma Shri 2021
- Maharashtra
Nanda Prusty
A Jajpur teacher known as Nanda Sir who taught villagers free under a tree for 75 years, honoured with the Padma Shri at 102 in 2021.
- Padma Shri 2021
- Odisha