Arjun Singh Dhurve
A retired teacher from Dindori, the first postgraduate of the Baiga tribe, who popularised Baiga song and dance; Padma Shri, 2022.
- Padma Shri 2022
- Madhya Pradesh
Heroes from Madhya Pradesh
People from the state of Madhya Pradesh whose work we have profiled.
Showing 1–24 of 24 heroes
Avadh Kishore Jadia
An Ayurvedic doctor and poet from Chhatarpur regarded as a leading voice of Bundeli poetry, honoured with the Padma Shri in 2022.
- Padma Shri 2022
- Madhya Pradesh
Bhagwandas Raikwar
A Sagar ustad who spent over 60 years reviving Bundeli akhara martial arts and trained thousands of young people, honoured with the Padma Shri in 2026.
- Padma Shri 2026
- Madhya Pradesh
Bhagwatilal Rajpurohit
An Ujjain scholar and playwright who has written more than fifty plays and a hundred books in Sanskrit, Hindi and Malwi, honoured with the Padma Shri in 2024.
- Padma Shri 2024
- Madhya Pradesh
Bheru Singh Chouhan
A Malwa folk singer who has kept the Kabir Nirgun singing tradition alive through more than 6,000 village performances, honoured with the Padma Shri in 2025.
- Padma Shri 2025
- Madhya Pradesh
Bhuri Bai
A Bhil painter from Jhabua who went from labourer at Bharat Bhavan to one of the best-known artists of her tradition, honoured with the Padma Shri in 2021.
- Padma Shri 2021
- Madhya Pradesh
Budhendra Kumar Jain
An eye surgeon who helped turn a 12-bed dispensary in Chitrakoot into one of India's largest eye hospitals, honoured with the Padma Shri in 2025.
- Padma Shri 2025
- Madhya Pradesh
Durga Bai Vyam
A Pardhan Gond painter from Bhopal whose art fills children's books such as Bhimayana and The Night Life of Trees, honoured with the Padma Shri in 2022.
- Padma Shri 2022
- Madhya Pradesh
Harchandan Singh Bhatti
A painter and designer who created Bhopal's celebrated Madhya Pradesh Tribal Museum, honoured with the Padma Shri in 2025.
- Padma Shri 2025
- Madhya Pradesh
Jagdish Joshila
The first novelist in the Nimadi language, author of 56 books and a historian of Nimar's freedom fighters, honoured with the Padma Shri in 2025.
- Padma Shri 2025
- Madhya Pradesh
Jodhaiya Bai Baiga
A Baiga tribal painter from Umaria who took up the brush late in life, honoured with the Padma Shri in 2023. She died in 2024.
- Padma Shri 2023
- Madhya Pradesh
Kailash Chandra Pant
A Hindi writer and journalist who led Bhopal's Hindi Bhawan for decades and edited the magazine Akshara for 18 years, honoured with the Padma Shri in 2026.
- Padma Shri 2026
- Madhya Pradesh
Kaluram Bamaniya
A Kabir bhajan singer from Dewas who rose from farm labour to perform across India in the Malwi tradition, honoured with the Padma Shri in 2024.
- Padma Shri 2024
- Madhya Pradesh
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
Mohan Nagar
A Betul social worker whose village campaigns have dug trenches, planted trees and revived the Machna river, honoured with the Padma Shri in 2026.
- Padma Shri 2026
- Madhya Pradesh
Munishwar Chander Dawar
A Jabalpur doctor and 1971 war veteran who charged patients Rs 2 from 1972, honoured with the Padma Shri in 2023. He died in 2025.
- Padma Shri 2023
- Madhya Pradesh
Narayan Vyas
An Ujjain archaeologist who spent 37 years with the ASI and documented Bhimbetka, Sanchi and Rani ki Vav, honoured with the Padma Shri in 2026.
- Padma Shri 2026
- Madhya Pradesh
Narendra Prasad Misra
A Bhopal physician and medical college dean who led the medical response to the 1984 gas disaster, honoured posthumously with the Padma Shri in 2022.
- Padma Shri 2022 (posthumous)
- Madhya Pradesh
Omprakash Sharma
An Ujjain writer, director and composer who revived the Maach folk theatre of Malwa, honoured with the Padma Shri in 2024.
- Padma Shri 2024
- Madhya Pradesh
Ram Sahay Panday
A Bundelkhand dancer who championed the Rai folk dance despite social boycott, honoured with the Padma Shri in 2022. He died in 2025.
- Padma Shri 2022
- Madhya Pradesh
Ramesh Parmar and Shanti Parmar
A Jhabua couple who make tribal dolls, dresses and toys and have trained over 1,000 young artisans, jointly honoured with the Padma Shri in 2023.
- Padma Shri 2023
- Madhya Pradesh
Sally Holkar
A champion of Maheshwar's handloom weavers who co-founded REHWA and Women Weave to revive Maheshwari textiles, honoured with the Padma Shri in 2025.
- Padma Shri 2025
- Madhya Pradesh
Satendra Singh Lohiya
A para swimmer from Bhind who has crossed the English Channel and other sea channels in relay teams, honoured with the Padma Shri in 2024.
- Padma Shri 2024
- Madhya Pradesh
Sumitra Mahajan
The former Speaker of the Lok Sabha, who represented Indore for a record eight consecutive terms, honoured with the Padma Bhushan in 2021.
- Padma Bhushan 2021
- Madhya Pradesh