National Awards to Teachers 2026: President Droupadi Murmu to Award 21 HEI and Polytechnic Teachers on Teacher’s Day
New Delhi, August 24, 2026:21 Higher Education Institutions (HEIs) and Polytechnic faculty will be awarded the National Awards to Teachers (NAT) 2026 by President of India Droupadi Murmu on 5th September 2026 at Vigyan Bhawan, New Delhi. These awards are given to teachers who are involved in the expanse of teaching, research, innovation, outreach and faculty development. Ministry of Education has released a Press Information Bureau (PIB) notification on 24th August 2026.
National Awards to Teachers 2026: Who Has Been Selected?
The 21 winners represent various fields and institutions within India’s Higher Education system. According to Ministry's notification, the recipients include:
- Twelve faculty from the Central HEIs
- Five Faculty from the non-Central HEIs of which three are from Government Universities and two are from Private Universities
- Four faculty from Polytechnics, of which two are from Government Polytechnics and two are from Private Polytechnics.
The domains include engineering, chemistry, medicine, architecture, mass communication, Sanskrit, dance, music, physical education and electronics. This range of disciplines shows the breadth of academic achievement for which these awards recognize.
National Awards to Teachers 2026: Full List of Awardees
|
No. |
Awardee |
Institution |
Discipline |
|---|---|---|---|
|
1 |
Prof. Avlokita Agrawal |
IIT Roorkee |
Sustainable Architecture and Built Environment |
|
2 |
Prof. Kirti Chandra Sahu |
IIT Hyderabad |
Chemical Engineering |
|
3 |
Prof. Vinay Chamola |
BITS Pilani |
Electricals & Electronics Engineering |
|
4 |
Dr. Srikant Gollapudi |
IIT Bhubaneswar |
Metallurgy & Materials Science |
|
5 |
Dr. Mithun Radhakrishna |
IIT Gandhinagar |
Chemical Engineering |
|
6 |
Prof. Sourav Datta |
IISER Bhopal |
Plant Sciences |
|
7 |
Prof. Vikram Vishal |
IIT Bombay |
Earth Sciences |
|
8 |
Prof. Sarvaiya Jayrajsinh Indrajitsinh |
National Forensic Sciences University, Gandhinagar |
Forensic Pharmacy and Food Forensics |
|
9 |
Prof. Sankar Prasad Rath |
IIT Kanpur |
Chemical Sciences |
|
10 |
Dr. Manisha Nigam |
Hemvati Nandan Bahuguna Garhwal University |
Biochemistry |
|
11 |
Dr. Amar Mohanrao Taksande |
Jawaharlal Nehru Medical College, Wardha |
Medicine – Paediatrics |
|
12 |
Dr. Arun Babu |
AIIMS Mangalagiri |
Medicine – Paediatrics |
|
13 |
Dr. Pukhrambam Lilabati Devi |
Manipur University |
Manipuri Dance |
|
14 |
Prof. Dr. Ashutosh Mohan |
Institute of Management Studies, BHU |
Management |
|
15 |
Prof. Ankuran Dutta |
Gauhati University |
Mass Communication |
|
16 |
Ms Shivani V. |
Karnataka Sanskrit University |
Sanskrit |
|
17 |
Prof. Rajeev Choudhary |
Pt. Ravishankar Shukla University |
Physical Education, Yoga Education |
|
18 |
Dr. Vishwanatha H. S. |
M.E.I. Polytechnic, Bengaluru |
Civil Engineering |
|
19 |
Dr. Sasikala S. |
PSG Polytechnic College, Coimbatore |
Electrical & Electronics Engineering |
|
20 |
Dr. Kannan Rathinam |
Sakthi Polytechnic College, Erode |
Physics |
|
21 |
Dr. Sandipann Pralhad Narote |
Government Polytechnic, Solapur |
Electronics Engineering & Telecommunication |
How Do National Awards to Teachers Get Selected?
According to the Ministry, online nominations for NAT 2026 were received on the Rashtriya Puraskar Portal. The nomination process consisted of self, institutional, and peer nominations, bringing Jan Bhagidari into the selection process.
For the year 2026, nominations were received between the dates of May 26 and July 20, 2026. The selection is based on a range of performance indicators, which include:
- Teaching-learning effectiveness
- Outreach activities
- Research and innovation
- Sponsored research
- Faculty development programmes
- Consultancy and teaching-related contributions
The selection is a two-stage process. The first stage is a Preliminary Search-cum-Screening Committee, which later is assessed by a Committee of Jury, who make the final selection. The type of framework is in congruence with the Ministry’s approach to the higher education teacher awards, where the assessment of teaching and outreach is an integral part of the framework.
Why Did the Ministry Decide to Include the Higher Education Faculty in the Awards?
The history of the National Awards to Teachers is lengthier of which the higher education segment is relatively more recent. In 2023, the Ministry decided that under the National Awards to Teachers, two categories, namely, teachers in higher education institutions (HEIs) and polytechnics, be created. Previously, the awards restricted recognition to teachers in schools.
The creation of these awards was also in line with the NEP 2020, which encourages the creation of incentives and rewards to develop a culture of excellence in the education sector. The 2025 edition similarly recognised 21 teachers from central HEIs, state universities and polytechnics, illustrating that the HE component is now part of the annual awards framework.
Teachers’ Day 2026: Awards Ceremony Will Happen on September 5
The significance of the date of the ceremony is important. This year, we will be presenting the awards on September 5, which in India is officially known as Teachers’ Day. September 5 also coincides with the birthday of the former President and philosopher Dr. Sarvepalli Radhakrishnan. The National Awards to Teachers have always been presented around this time.
For the 21 selected faculty members, the September 5 ceremony will showcase their achievements in classrooms, laboratories, and research centers; hospitals, studios, and polytechnic institutions, on a national stage.
Final Thought
The National Awards to Teachers 2026 provide a wider range of examples of the best in the field of teaching. The 21 awardees include teaching from engineering and medicine to architecture, sciences, management, mass communication, performing arts, and technical education. This year, the list of awardees demonstrates that teaching excellence should incorporate, beyond teaching and research, a variety of elements such as teaching innovation, engagement, and broad outreach. Awards Presentation Ceremony by the President Droupadi Murmu on September 5, 2026, Teachers’ Day, will also recognise the best of teaching in India's Universities, Colleges, and Polytechnic Institutions.
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