Ajay Kumar Sonkar
A Prayagraj scientist who developed new ways to grow pearls, from black pearls in the Andamans to tissue culture, honoured with the Padma Shri in 2022.
- Padma Shri 2022
- Uttar Pradesh
Heroes from Uttar Pradesh
People from the state of Uttar Pradesh whose work we have profiled.
Showing 1–24 of 64 heroes
Ajita Srivastava
A Mirzapur singer and teacher who kept kajri, the monsoon songs of eastern Uttar Pradesh, alive, honoured with the Padma Shri in 2022. She died in 2024.
- Padma Shri 2022
- Uttar Pradesh
Anil Kumar Rastogi
A Lucknow biochemist who spent four decades at CDRI while acting in 100 plays and 70 films, honoured with the Padma Shri in 2026.
- Padma Shri 2026
- Uttar Pradesh
Arvind Kumar
An agronomist who was founding vice-chancellor of the Rani Lakshmi Bai Central Agricultural University in Jhansi, honoured with the Padma Shri in 2023.
- Padma Shri 2023
- Uttar Pradesh
Ashok Kumar Sahu
A Kanpur social worker who founded Vipassana meditation centres in Lucknow and Kanpur that offer free residential courses, honoured with the Padma Shri in 2021.
- Padma Shri 2021
- Uttar Pradesh
Ashok Kumar Singh
The plant breeder behind Basmati rice varieties now grown on over 90% of India's Basmati area, a former IARI director, honoured with the Padma Shri in 2026.
- Padma Shri 2026
- Uttar Pradesh
Ashutosh Sharma
An IIT Kanpur nanotechnology scientist who led the Department of Science and Technology, honoured with the Padma Shri in 2025.
- Padma Shri 2025
- Uttar Pradesh
Baburam Yadav
A Moradabad brass engraver with six decades in the craft who has trained hundreds of young people free of charge, honoured with the Padma Shri in 2024.
- Padma Shri 2024
- Uttar Pradesh
Buddha Rashmi Mani
An archaeologist who directed 20 excavations, conserved about 150 monuments and later led the National Museum in Delhi, honoured with the Padma Shri in 2026.
- Padma Shri 2026
- Uttar Pradesh
Chandra Shekhar Singh
A farmer who bred and registered new paddy and wheat varieties and founded the Vasundhara seed brand, honoured with the Padma Shri in 2021.
- Padma Shri 2021
- Uttar Pradesh
Chiranji Lal Yadav
A Moradabad brass engraver who has practised the finest carving styles for over 50 years and trained 500 young people, honoured with the Padma Shri in 2026.
- Padma Shri 2026
- Uttar Pradesh
Dilshad Hussain
A Moradabad master of nakkashi, the engraving of metal vessels, who has trained hundreds of artisans, honoured with the Padma Shri in 2023.
- Padma Shri 2023
- Uttar Pradesh
Ganeshwar Shastri Dravid
A Varanasi Vedic scholar and astrologer who fixed the muhurat for the Ram temple ceremonies in Ayodhya, honoured with the Padma Shri in 2025.
- Padma Shri 2025
- Uttar Pradesh
Gaurav Khanna
The head coach credited with the rise of India's para badminton team and a Dronacharya awardee, honoured with the Padma Shri in 2024.
- Padma Shri 2024
- Uttar Pradesh
Godawari Singh
A Varanasi wood-toy craftsman who modernised the city's wooden handicraft and guides more than 2,000 artisans, honoured with the Padma Shri in 2024.
- Padma Shri 2024
- Uttar Pradesh
Gulfam Ahmed
A seventh-generation musician of the Senia gharana from Lucknow who adapted the rabab to play classical ragas, honoured with the Padma Shri in 2021.
- Padma Shri 2021
- Uttar Pradesh
Gulveer Singh
A distance runner from Aligarh and an Indian Army athlete who became the first Indian to run a half marathon in under an hour.
- Mann Ki Baat #132
- Uttar Pradesh
Hriday Narayan Dikshit
A writer on Indian philosophy and former Speaker of the Uttar Pradesh Assembly with more than 6,000 articles to his name, honoured with the Padma Shri in 2025.
- Padma Shri 2025
- Uttar Pradesh
Jagdish Chaudhary
The Dom Raja of Varanasi, head of the community that keeps the sacred fire at the city's cremation ghats, honoured posthumously with the Padma Shri in 2021.
- Padma Shri 2021 (posthumous)
- Uttar Pradesh
Kalbe Sadiq
A Lucknow Islamic scholar who founded the Tauheedul Muslimeen Trust and its Unity colleges, honoured posthumously with the Padma Bhushan in 2021.
- Padma Bhushan 2021 (posthumous)
- Uttar Pradesh
Kalyan Singh
A former Uttar Pradesh chief minister, Lok Sabha member and Governor of Rajasthan, honoured posthumously with the Padma Vibhushan in 2022.
- Padma Vibhushan 2022 (posthumous)
- Uttar Pradesh
Kamalini Asthana and Nalini Asthana
Kathak dancers of the Banaras gharana, sisters who have performed and taught together for five decades, jointly honoured with the Padma Shri in 2022.
- Padma Shri 2022
- Uttar Pradesh
Kamlakar Tripathi
A BHU professor of medicine and nephrologist who treated patients for decades and still sees the poor free of charge, honoured with the Padma Shri in 2022.
- Padma Shri 2022
- Uttar Pradesh
Kewal Krishan Thakral
An Ayurvedic surgeon known for popularising the kshar sutra procedure and a former Director of Ayurveda in Uttar Pradesh, honoured with the Padma Shri in 2026.
- Padma Shri 2026
- Uttar Pradesh