Last Updated:January 25, 2026, 21:45 IST Over the past decade, leaders from opposition parties, regional stalwarts, and ideological rivals have featured prominently in the honours list. This stands in contrast to earlier periods when no BJP leader was recognised during the tenure of Congress-led governments. (File image) In an era where political polarisation often dominates public discourse, India’s highest civilian honours—the Padma Awards and the Bharat Ratna—have increasingly emerged as a space of cross-party recognition. Since Prime Minister Narendra Modi assumed office in 2014, the selection of awardees has reflected an effort to acknowledge contributions that transcend political affiliations and ideological boundaries. Over the past decade, leaders from opposition parties, regional stalwarts, and ideological rivals have featured prominently in the honours list. This stands in contrast to earlier periods when no BJP leader was recognised during the tenure of Congress-led governments. This trend further continued in recent announcement of Padma Awards. Veteran Left leader V Natesan and late BJP leader V K Malhotra were conferred the Padma Bhushan, while former Jharkhand Chief Minister Shibu Soren …