Areez Khambatta
The founder of Rasna, the drink-concentrate brand found in Indian homes since 1978, honoured posthumously with the Padma Shri in 2023.
- Padma Shri 2023 (posthumous)
- Gujarat
Heroes from Gujarat
People from the state of Gujarat whose work we have profiled.
Showing 1–24 of 37 heroes
Arvind Vaidya
A Gujarati stage veteran who has acted in or directed more than 300 plays and is known on TV as Bapuji in Anupamaa, honoured with the Padma Shri in 2026.
- Padma Shri 2026
- Gujarat
Balkrishna Doshi
A pioneer of modern Indian architecture and Pritzker Prize winner who designed IIM Bangalore and CEPT, honoured posthumously with the Padma Vibhushan in 2023.
- Padma Bhushan 2020
- Padma Vibhushan 2023 (posthumous)
- Gujarat
Bhanubhai Chunilal Chitara
An Ahmedabad artisan of Mata ni Pachedi, the painted temple cloth of Gujarat, who has kept the family craft alive, honoured with the Padma Shri in 2023.
- Padma Shri 2023
- Gujarat
Chandrakant Mehta
A Gujarati and Hindi author of 173 books who rose from primary teacher to acting vice-chancellor of Gujarat University, honoured with the Padma Shri in 2021.
- Padma Shri 2021
- Gujarat
Chandrakant Sheth
A Gujarati poet, essayist and critic with more than 150 books who helped create the Gujarati encyclopaedia, honoured posthumously with the Padma Shri in 2025.
- Padma Shri 2025 (posthumous)
- Gujarat
Chandrakant Sompura
A temple architect whose designs include Akshardham in Gandhinagar and the Ram temple in Ayodhya, honoured with the Padma Shri in 2025.
- Padma Shri 2025
- Gujarat
Dadudan Gadhavi
A Gujarati poet and folk singer known as Kavi Daad, whose songs were sung by two generations of folk artists, honoured with the Padma Shri in 2021.
- Padma Shri 2021
- Gujarat
Dayal Mavjibhai Parmar
An Ayurveda physician and Sanskrit scholar from Tankara who translated all four Vedas into Gujarati, honoured with the Padma Shri in 2024.
- Padma Shri 2024
- Gujarat
Dharmiklal Chunilal Pandya
A Vadodara storyteller who has kept Gujarat's Maanbhatt aakhyan tradition alive for over 70 years, honoured with the Padma Shri in 2026.
- Padma Shri 2026
- Gujarat
Gamit Ramilaben Raysingbhai
A Tapi social worker who has organised 162 women's self-help groups and helped build over 700 toilets, honoured with the Padma Shri in 2022.
- Padma Shri 2022
- Gujarat
Harish Naik
A Gujarati children's author and storyteller who wrote over 2,000 stories, honoured posthumously with the Padma Shri in 2024.
- Padma Shri 2024 (posthumous)
- Gujarat
Hemant Chauhan
A Gujarati bhajan and folk singer who sings to the ektara and has recorded over 8,200 songs, honoured with the Padma Shri in 2023.
- Padma Shri 2023
- Gujarat
Hirabai Lobi
A Siddi community leader from Gujarat who, with no schooling of her own, helped hundreds of women earn, save and educate their children.
- Padma Shri 2023
- Mann Ki Baat #97
- Gujarat
Jagdish Trivedi
A Gujarati humourist and author who pledged all his income from comedy shows to schools and health care, giving crores, honoured with the Padma Shri in 2024.
- Padma Shri 2024
- Mann Ki Baat #108
- Gujarat
Jayantkumar Maganlal Vyas
A forensic scientist who founded the world's first university of forensic science, honoured with the Padma Shri in 2022.
- Padma Shri 2022
- Gujarat
Keshubhai Patel
A farmer's son who served twice as chief minister of Gujarat and as a member of both houses of Parliament, honoured posthumously with the Padma Bhushan in 2021.
- Padma Bhushan 2021 (posthumous)
- Gujarat
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
Kumudini Lakhia
A Kathak pioneer who founded Ahmedabad's Kadamb dance centre and reshaped Kathak over 75 years, honoured with the Padma Vibhushan in 2025.
- Padma Vibhushan 2025
- Gujarat
Lata Desai
A paediatrician who co-founded SEWA Rural in Jhagadia in 1980 to bring health care to tribal Gujarat, honoured with the Padma Shri in 2022.
- Padma Shri 2022
- Gujarat
Lavjibhai Nagjibhai Parmar
A master weaver who kept Gujarat's 700-year-old Tangaliya weaving alive when hundreds of weavers had quit, honoured with the Padma Shri in 2025.
- Padma Shri 2025
- Gujarat
Mahendra Pal
A veterinary scientist called the father of veterinary mycology in India, with over 575 papers on fungi in animals, honoured with the Padma Shri in 2023.
- Padma Shri 2023
- Gujarat
Maheshbhai & Shri Nareshbhai Kanodia
The Gujarati musician brothers Mahesh and Naresh Kanodia, of Mahesh Kumar and Party, honoured posthumously with the Padma Shri in 2021.
- Padma Shri 2021 (posthumous)
- Gujarat
Mahipat Kavi
A Gujarati puppeteer who founded Puppets and Plays in 1973 and wrote over 200 puppet plays, honoured with the Padma Shri in 2023. He died in 2026.
- Padma Shri 2023
- Gujarat