Padma Bhushan Award 1966

With just 14 recipients, 1966 had one of the smallest Padma Bhushan lists of this era. It included space program pioneer Vikram Sarabhai, dairy cooperative architect Verghese Kurien of Amul fame, and celebrated conductor Zubin Mehta, unusually listed under Canada rather than an Indian state. Political cartoonist K. Shankar Pillai and civil servant Homi Sethna were also honored. The small, elite roster favored science and public institution-builders, foreshadowing Sarabhai's and Kurien's later roles in India's space and dairy revolutions.

The Padma Bhushan is the third-highest civilian award in the Republic of India, preceded by the Bharat Ratna and the Padma Vibhushan and followed by the Padma Shri. Instituted on 2 January 1954, the award is given for "distinguished service of a high order, without distinction of race, occupation, position or sex".