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WHAT ARE PADMA AWARDS?

The Padma Awards are one of the highest civilian honors of India announced annually on the eve of Republic Day.
The Awards are given in three categories:

1. Padma Vibhushan (for exceptional and distinguished service)
2. Padma Bhushan (distinguished service of Higher-order)
3. Padma Shri (distinguished Service)

The awards seek to recognize achievements in all fields of activities or disciplines where an element of Public service is involved.
The Awards are given in various disciplines/ fields of activities, viz.- art, social work, public affairs, science and engineering, trade and industry, medicine, literature and education, sports, civil service, etc. These awards are conferred by the President of India at ceremonial functions which are held at Rashtrapati Bhawan usually around March/ April every year. This year the President has approved conferment of 119 Padma Awards including 1 duo case (in a duo case, the award is counted as one).

This year there are a total of 7 Padma Vibhushan, 10 Padma Bhushan and 102 Padma Shri Awards. 

29 of the awardees are women and 10 persons from the category of Foreigners/NRI/PIO/OCI, 16 Posthumous awardees and 1 transgender awardee.   

The Padma Awards are conferred on the recommendations made by the Padma Awards Committee, which is constituted by the Prime Minister every year. The nomination process is open to the public. Even self-nomination can be made. 

All persons without distinction of race, occupation, position, or sex are eligible for these awards. However, Government servants including those working with PSUs, except doctors and scientists, are not eligible for these awards.

The award seeks to recognize works of distinction and is given for distinguished and exceptional achievements/service in all fields of activities/disciplines. An illustrative list of the fields is as under:

1. Art (includes Music, Painting, Sculpture, Photography, Cinema, Theatre, etc.) 

2. Social work (includes social service, charitable service, contribution in community projects, etc.)

3. Public Affairs (includes Law, Public Life, Politics etc.)

4. Science & Engineering (includes Space Engineering, Nuclear Science, Information Technology, Research & Development in Science & its allied subjects, etc.)

5. Trade & Industry (includes Banking, Economic Activities, Management, Promotion of Tourism, Business, etc.)

6. Medicine (includes medical research, distinction/specialization in Ayurveda, Homeopathy, Siddha, Allopathy, Naturopathy, etc.)

7. Literature & Education (includes Journalism, Teaching, Book composing, Literature, Poetry, Promotion of education, Promotion of literacy, Education Reforms, etc.)

8. Civil Service (includes distinction/excellence in administration etc. by Government Servants)

9. Sports (includes popular Sports, Athletics, Adventure, Mountaineering, promotion of sports, Yoga, etc.)

10. Others (fields not covered above and may include propagation of Indian Culture, protection of Human Rights, Wild Life protection/conservation, etc.)

The award is normally not conferred posthumously. However, in highly deserving cases, the Government could consider giving an award posthumously.

A higher category of Padma award can be conferred on a person only where a period of at least five years has elapsed since the conferment of the earlier Padma award. However, in highly deserving cases, a relaxation can be made by the Awards Committee.

The awards are presented by the President of India usually in the month of March/April every year where the awardees are presented a Sanad (certificate) signed by the President and a medallion.

The recipients are also given a small replica of the medallion, which they can wear during any ceremonial/State functions etc. if the awardees so desire. The names of the awardees are published in the Gazette of India on the day of the presentation ceremony.

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.

The award does not amount to a title and cannot be used as a suffix or prefix to the awardees’ name.

LIST OF PADMA VIBHUSHAN (7)

Current affairs | Padma Vibhushan awardees 2021