Ashoka Award 2026 Season 3 in New Delhi on July 19 Organised by Abhishek Pandey
Elaborating on the significance of the Honour of Ashoka Award, Abhishek Pandey said that the award was instituted to recognise excellence, integrity, leadership, and public service.
New Delhi: Abhishek Pandey, Director of the Charles Walters Council for Innovation & Research (CWSIR) and Convenor of the Honour of Ashoka Award & Indo-International Intellectual Conclave 2026, announced that the third edition of the prestigious Honour of Ashoka Award will be held on 19 July 2026 at the India Habitat Centre, New Delhi.
Speaking to the media, Abhishek Pandey stated that the Charles Walters Council for Innovation & Research (CWSIR) is a Section-8 organisation committed to advancing research, innovation, education, intellectual leadership, public policy discourse, and nation-building initiatives. Through its various academic and intellectual platforms, the organisation has consistently worked to identify and recognise individuals whose contributions have created a meaningful impact on society.
Elaborating on the significance of the Honour of Ashoka Award, Abhishek Pandey said that the award was instituted to recognise excellence, integrity, leadership, and public service. During its first two editions, the award was conferred exclusively upon distinguished Government Officers, Administrators, Policymakers, Defence Personnel, Jurists, and Public Servants who demonstrated exceptional service in governance, public administration, law, justice, public policy, national security, and nation-building.
He further announced that for the first time since its inception, the third edition of the award would introduce a highly selective Social Influencer Category. Under this category, a limited number of social influencers who have positively impacted society through responsible and meaningful digital content will be selected and felicitated. The initiative seeks to acknowledge individuals who are using social media platforms to educate, inspire, promote public awareness, encourage social responsibility, and contribute constructively to public discourse.
In another significant expansion of the award's scope, the organisers have also proposed a special category dedicated to Film, Fashion & Entertainment, recognising eminent personalities whose professional journeys have inspired millions and contributed positively to society through art, culture, creativity, media, and public engagement. The category seeks to acknowledge individuals whose work transcends entertainment and reflects values of excellence, perseverance, social responsibility, and national pride.
Abhishek Pandey informed that fifteen carefully shortlisted personalities from the Indian Film and Television Industry are proposed to be conferred with the Honour of Ashoka Award 2026. The proposed honourees represent a diverse spectrum of acting, media, fashion, television, digital influence, fitness, and creative leadership. Their contributions have significantly shaped public consciousness and inspired audiences across generations through meaningful artistic and professional excellence.
Abhishek Pandey clarified that the Honour of Ashoka Award is a merit-based civilian recognition and is not conferred on the basis of monetary consideration, sponsorship, personal favour, lobbying, or any form of exchange. Selection is undertaken through a structured evaluation process involving scrutiny of professional achievements, public impact, credibility, public reputation, digital presence, and recommendations received from reputed personalities. No financial consideration, sponsorship, remuneration, or monetary benefit is solicited, accepted, or encouraged by either party at any stage of the process.
The Honour of Ashoka Award & Indo-International Intellectual Conclave 2026 shall be presided over by His Lordship Mr. Justice Rajesh Tandon (Retd.), Former Judge of the Uttarakhand High Court. The proposed dignitaries expected to grace the dais include Smt. Priyanka Chaturvedi, Hon'ble Member of Parliament (Rajya Sabha); Shri Vishwapati Trivedi, IAS (Retd.), former Secretary to the Government of India; Dr. R. C. Mishra, IPS (Retd.), former Director General of Police, Haryana; Ms. Ashima Mittal, IAS, District Collector, Jalna, Maharashtra; and Shri C. B. Tiwari, Senior Officer, Ministry of Home Affairs.
Highlighting the stature of the platform, Pandey noted that previous editions of the Honour of Ashoka Award have witnessed the presence of several eminent personalities including General J. J. Singh, former Chief of Army Staff and former Governor of Arunachal Pradesh; Shri Shekhar Dutt, former Deputy National Security Advisor, Defence Secretary and Governor of Chhattisgarh; Shri Kalraj Mishra, former Governor of Rajasthan and Himachal Pradesh; General Deepak Kapoor, former Chief of Army Staff; Justice B. P. Singh, former Judge of the Supreme Court of India; Air Marshal G. S. Bedi; Lieutenant General S. K. Saini, former Vice Chief of the Indian Army; Justice Vijender Jain, former Chief Justice of the Punjab and Haryana High Court; Shri Saurabh Tiwari, Additional Secretary, Cabinet Secretariat; Shri Subodh Kant Sahay, former Union Minister; and Dr. R. K. Ranjan Singh, former Minister of State, Government of India.
Inviting applications from eligible candidates, Pandey urged prospective nominees to submit their candidature within the prescribed timeline along with a detailed profile, government-issued identity proof, links to their social media platforms, and recommendation letters from credible and reputed personalities.
He expressed confidence that the third edition of the Honour of Ashoka Award would further strengthen the culture of recognising excellence and inspire individuals who are creating positive social change through public service, governance, research, innovation, film, fashion, entertainment, and responsible digital influence. The conclave aims to bring together policymakers, administrators, intellectuals, researchers, social leaders, industry experts, artists, and changemakers on a common platform dedicated to the ideals of knowledge, service, integrity, and nation-building.
