Anahat Singh
A squash player from Delhi who became the youngest Asian woman in the world top 20 and India's first world junior squash champion.
- Mann Ki Baat #132
- Delhi
Heroes from Delhi
People from the union territory of Delhi whose work we have profiled.
Showing 1–24 of 30 heroes
B. B. Lal
An archaeologist who led the Archaeological Survey of India and excavated Kalibangan, Hastinapura and Ayodhya, honoured with the Padma Vibhushan in 2021.
- Padma Vibhushan 2021
- Delhi
Barry John
A British-born theatre director who has trained actors in India since 1968 and co-founded Delhi's Theatre Action Group, honoured with the Padma Shri in 2025.
- Padma Shri 2025
- Delhi
Bharat Gupt
A classicist, theatre scholar and sitar player known worldwide for his work comparing ancient Greek and Indian drama, honoured with the Padma Shri in 2025.
- Padma Shri 2025
- Delhi
Bibek Debroy
An economist and translator of the Mahabharata who chaired the PM's Economic Advisory Council, honoured posthumously with the Padma Bhushan in 2025.
- Padma Shri 2015
- Padma Bhushan 2025 (posthumous)
- Delhi
C.S. Vaidyanathan
A Supreme Court senior advocate with more than fifty years of practice and India's first Additional Solicitor General, honoured with the Padma Shri in 2025.
- Padma Shri 2025
- Delhi
Chandrakant Sambhaji Pandav
A former AIIMS professor known as the 'Iodine Man of India' for his work to make iodised salt universal, honoured with the Padma Shri in 2021.
- Padma Shri 2021
- Delhi
Dilip Shahani
An IIT Delhi engineer who chairs the Election Commission's technical committee on voting machines and VVPAT, honoured with the Padma Shri in 2022.
- Padma Shri 2022
- Delhi
Gurcharan Singh
A veteran cricket coach who trained 12 international players, among them Kirti Azad and Maninder Singh, honoured with the Padma Shri in 2023.
- Padma Shri 2023
- Delhi
Guruprasad Mohapatra
An IAS officer who led Ahmedabad's Sabarmati Riverfront and the Startup India push, honoured posthumously with the Padma Shri in 2022.
- Padma Shri 2022 (posthumous)
- Delhi
Harbinder Singh
An Olympic hockey gold medallist of 1964 and lifelong coach, selector and mentor who now advises a youth hockey academy, honoured with the Padma Shri in 2024.
- Padma Shri 2024
- Delhi
Ishwar Chander Verma
A paediatrician who set up India's first medical genetics centre, at AIIMS in 1968, honoured with the Padma Shri in 2023. He died in 2024.
- Padma Shri 2023
- Mann Ki Baat #97
- Delhi
J K Bajaj
A physicist turned policy researcher who co-founded the Centre for Policy Studies in Chennai, honoured with the Padma Shri in 2022.
- Padma Shri 2022
- Delhi
J N Pande
An AIIMS professor who brought bronchoscopy to India and set up its first medical ICU, honoured posthumously with the Padma Shri in 2021.
- Padma Shri 2021 (posthumous)
- Delhi
Jitender Singh Shunty
A Delhi social worker whose charity runs free hearses, ambulances and cremations, including for Covid-19 victims, honoured with the Padma Shri in 2021.
- Padma Shri 2021
- Delhi
K.N. Dikshit
An archaeologist who rose to joint director general of the ASI and excavated India's early civilisations, honoured with the Padma Bhushan in 2025.
- Padma Bhushan 2025
- Delhi
Kapil Kapoor
A JNU scholar of English and Sanskrit who has worked to bring Indian knowledge systems into higher education, honoured with the Padma Bhushan in 2023.
- Padma Bhushan 2023
- Delhi
Kiran Nadar
Founder of the Kiran Nadar Museum of Art in Delhi and an international bridge player, honoured with the Padma Shri in 2024.
- Padma Shri 2024
- Delhi
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
Maulana Wahiduddin Khan
An Islamic scholar who founded Delhi's Islamic Centre and the magazine Al-Risala and wrote over 200 books, honoured with the Padma Vibhushan in 2021.
- Padma Vibhushan 2021
- Delhi
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
Neerja Bhatla
An AIIMS gynaecologist who has led India's work to prevent cervical cancer with affordable screening and HPV vaccines, honoured with the Padma Shri in 2025.
- Padma Shri 2025
- Delhi
Niru Kumar
A Delhi doctor living with the effects of polio who pioneered diversity and inclusion work in Indian workplaces, honoured with the Padma Shri in 2021.
- Padma Shri 2021
- Delhi
R. Sreedher
A radio broadcaster called the father of community radio in India, who set up a pioneering station in 2004, honoured with the Padma Shri in 2026.
- Padma Shri 2026
- Delhi