Arunachalam Muruganantham, a social entrepreneur from Tamil Nadu, India, has been nominated for the 2026 Nobel Peace Prize. Known as the 'Padman,' he gained recognition for his innovative approach to producing low-cost sanitary pads for women in rural India. Muruganantham expressed his disbelief and pride upon learning of his nomination, which was submitted by a Dean from the Aravind Eye Hospital in Pondicherry, along with American teams. The Nobel Prize committee has 287 candidates for the upcoming award, including 208 individuals and 79 organizations. The nomination process involves evaluations from leading experts and a review of scholarly articles related to the candidates' work. Muruganantham's efforts have also inspired the film 'PadMan,' starring Akshay Kumar, which won the National Award for Best Film.