Raghuveer Yadav Receives National Kishore Kumar Samman 2026 in Madhya Pradesh

Veteran actor, singer and musician Raghuveer Yadav, widely recognised for playing Pradhan Ji in the popular web series ‘Panchayat’, was conferred with the National Kishore Kumar Samman 2026 by the Madhya Pradesh government in Khandwa on Tuesday.

The award ceremony was organised on the death anniversary of legendary singer Kishore Kumar. Madhya Pradesh Culture Minister Dharmendra Lodhi and Tribal Affairs Minister Vijay Shah presented the honour, while Chief Minister Mohan Yadav joined the event virtually.

Following tradition, Raghuveer Yadav first paid homage at Kishore Kumar’s samadhi memorial before receiving the award.

Instituted by the Madhya Pradesh government in 1997-98, the National Kishore Kumar Samman recognises outstanding contributions to Indian cinema in fields including acting, direction, screenplay writing and lyric writing. The award carries a cash prize of Rs 5 lakh, a citation, a shawl and a coconut. The cash component was previously Rs 2 lakh.

Born on June 25, 1957, in Jabalpur, Madhya Pradesh, Raghuveer Yadav began his career in theatre and trained at the National School of Drama in New Delhi. He made his notable film debut with ‘Massey Sahib’ in 1985, earning critical recognition for his performance. The role brought him the FIPRESCI Critics Award at the Venice Film Festival in 1986 and the Silver Peacock for Best Actor at the International Film Festival of India in 1987.

Over the years, he has built a reputation for natural, character-driven performances in films such as ‘Salaam Bombay!’, ‘Bandit Queen’, ‘Dil Se’, ‘Lagaan’, ‘Water’ and ‘Peepli Live’. His portrayal of Pradhan Ji in ‘Panchayat’ introduced his work to a wider generation of viewers.

The award ceremony has a special connection with Khandwa, Kishore Kumar’s birthplace. Although the event was traditionally held in Bhopal, it was shifted to Khandwa during the tenure of Uma Bharti’s government, when Vijay Shah was the Culture Minister and MLA from Harsud.

In subsequent years, some award recipients received the honour at their homes in Mumbai, drawing resentment among Kishore Kumar’s admirers in Khandwa. From 2025, the state government made it mandatory for selected artists to travel to Khandwa to accept the award in person.