Coimbatore (Tamil Nadu): Defense Minister Rajnath Singh presented the first ‘Bhavya Bharat Bhushan’ awards during the Mahashivratri celebrations at the Isha Yoga Center here. These new awards, instituted by the Isha Foundation, recognize individuals who have made exceptional contributions to India’s progress in various fields, such as science, arts, sports, and military service.
The Defense Minister said on Sunday, “Along with the honors given to eminent personalities in these fields, three institutions of our armed forces were also honored for the spectacular success of ‘Operation Sindoor.’ These institutions are the Western Air Command, the Army’s Southern Command, and the Western Naval Command. Personally, this fills me with immense joy and pride.”
Regarding culture and science, often considered separate entities, he said that in India they have always complemented each other. He said, “Culture is not just a set of customs, it is our way of life.”
Isha Foundation founder and spiritual guru Sadhguru Jaggi Vasudev stated that the awards will be presented annually in seven key categories, including corporate, science and technology, sports, and culture.
Notable winners of the 2026 awards in the science and technology category included Nambi Narayanan and Kiran Kumar, who were honored for their contributions to advancing India’s technological frontiers. In the field of arts and culture, classical dancer Alarmel Valli, legendary violinist N. Rajam, and historian Vikram Sampath were honored.
Badminton star Saina Nehwal was also honored for her achievements in sports. Additionally, the Indian Armed Forces received special recognition for their services in Operation Sindoor.
Representatives from all three armed forces were honored, including Air Marshal Jitendra Mishra of the Western Air Command, Lieutenant General A.V.S. Rathi of the Southern Command, and Vice Admiral R.V. Gokhale of the Western Naval Command. This category was to express gratitude to the Army for its excellent performance in both humanitarian service and decisive military action.
