Civilian Awards of India

Bharat Ratna

• The Bharat Ratna is the highest civilian award of the Republic of India, established in 1954.
• It’s given to individuals without considering their race, occupation, position, or gender.
• It’s awarded for outstanding service or achievement in any field.
• The Prime Minister can recommend recipients directly to the President, without any formal process.
• Only a maximum of three people can receive it in a year.
• Recipients receive a certificate signed by the President and a medallion.
• It doesn’t come with any monetary grant.
• Padma Vibhushan, Padma Bhushan, and Padma Shri: These are the second, third, and fourth highest civilian awards of the Republic of India respectively. They recognize distinguished service of a high order to the nation in various fields. These awards are conferred by the President of India annually.

Padma Awards

• The Padma Awards are a set of civilian awards in India, conferred annually by the President of India on the eve of Republic Day.
• These awards recognize distinguished and exceptional achievements in various fields such as art, literature, science, public service, and sports. Here are some key points about the Padma Awards:
• Categories: The Padma Awards are divided into three categories:
  • Padma Vibhushan: The second-highest civilian award in India, it is awarded for exceptional and distinguished service.
  • Padma Bhushan: The third-highest civilian award, given for distinguished service of high order.
  • Padma Shri: The fourth-highest civilian award, conferred for distinguished service in any field.
• Eligibility: Any citizen of India, without distinction of race, occupation, position, or gender, is eligible for the Padma Awards. Government servants including those working with PSUs, except doctors and scientists, are not eligible for these Awards.
• Recommendations: Nominations for the Padma Awards can be made by the public as well as the government. These nominations are then scrutinized by committees at various levels before being forwarded to the Prime Minister and ultimately to the President for approval.
• Announcement and Ceremony: The Padma Awards are announced on the eve of Republic Day (January 25) every year. The awards are presented by the President of India at a ceremonial function held at Rashtrapati Bhavan in New Delhi.
• Honorees:
• The award recognizes outstanding achievements and services in various fields.
• These fields include:
  • Art (such as music, painting, sculpture, photography, cinema, and theater)
  • Social work (including charitable services, community projects, etc.)
  • Public affairs (like law, politics, public life)
  • Science and engineering (covering space engineering, nuclear science, IT, research, etc.)
  • Trade and industry (including banking, tourism promotion, management)
  • Medicine (encompassing medical research, specialization in various branches like Ayurveda, Homeopathy, etc.)
  • Literature and education (including journalism, teaching, literary works, education promotion)
  • Civil service (recognizing excellence in administration by government officials)
  • Sports (covering various sports, athletics, yoga, etc.)
  • Others (fields not mentioned above, such as cultural propagation, human rights protection, wildlife conservation)
• The award is normally not conferred posthumously. However, in highly deserving cases, the Government could consider giving an award posthumously.
• Medal and Certificate: Upon receiving a Padma Award, the recipient is presented with a medal, a certificate, and a citation.
• Non-Monetary Award: Similar to the Bharat Ratna, the Padma Awards do not carry any monetary grant. They are purely honorary in nature, acknowledging the recipient’s exceptional achievements and contributions.
• Who Decides: All nominations received for the Padma Awards are placed before the Padma Awards Committee, which is constituted by the Prime Minister every year. The Padma Awards Committee is headed by the Cabinet Secretary and includes the Home Secretary, Secretary to the President, and four to six eminent persons as members. The recommendations of the committee are submitted to the Prime Minister and the President of India for approval.
• The total number of awards to be given in a year (excluding posthumous awards and to NRI/foreigners/OCIs) should not be more than 120.

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