New Delhi, Jan. 26 -- Veteran Delhi Bharatiya Janata Party leader Vijay Kumar Malhotra has been posthumously awarded the Padma Bhushan in 2026 in the category of public affairs, according to the list of awardees issued by the Ministry of Home Affairs on the eve of Republic Day on Sunday. The Padma Bhushan is India's third-highest civilian honour.

Malhotra, a towering figure in Delhi politics, passed away on September 30, 2025, at the age of 94. His public life spanned more than six decades, during which he served as Delhi's first chief executive councillor, a two-term MLA, a five-term MP, and twice as president of the BJP's Delhi unit.

Born in Lahore, Malhotra began his political journey as a municipal councillor in the late 1950s. He l...