Padma Awards
Kartavya Desk Staff
Source: NDTV
Context: President of India conferred Padma Awards 2024 to 71 personalities at Rashtrapati Bhavan, recognizing excellence across diverse fields.
About Padma Awards:
• What are Padma Awards?
• The Padma Awards are among India’s highest civilian honors. They recognize exceptional and distinguished service across various fields involving public service.
• The Padma Awards are among India’s highest civilian honors.
• They recognize exceptional and distinguished service across various fields involving public service.
• Origin:
• Instituted: 1954 Reclassified: In 1955 into three categories – Padma Vibhushan, Padma Bhushan, and Padma Shri.
• Instituted: 1954
• Reclassified: In 1955 into three categories – Padma Vibhushan, Padma Bhushan, and Padma Shri.
• Presented by: The President of India formally presents the awards at a ceremonial function at Rashtrapati Bhavan.
• Selection Committee:
• Constituted by: The Prime Minister annually. Headed by: The Cabinet Secretary. Members: Home Secretary, Secretary to the President, and 4–6 eminent personalities.
• Constituted by: The Prime Minister annually.
• Headed by: The Cabinet Secretary.
• Members: Home Secretary, Secretary to the President, and 4–6 eminent personalities.
• Selection Criteria:
• Core Focus: Life-long achievements plus an element of public service. Scope: Achievements across fields like arts, social work, science, public affairs, trade, medicine, sports, literature, education, and civil service. Inclusivity: Open to all citizens regardless of race, occupation, or gender. Exceptions: Active government servants (excluding doctors/scientists) are not eligible. Posthumous Awards: Rare but permitted in highly deserving cases.
• Core Focus: Life-long achievements plus an element of public service.
• Scope: Achievements across fields like arts, social work, science, public affairs, trade, medicine, sports, literature, education, and civil service.
• Inclusivity: Open to all citizens regardless of race, occupation, or gender.
• Exceptions: Active government servants (excluding doctors/scientists) are not eligible.
• Posthumous Awards: Rare but permitted in highly deserving cases.
• Award Procedure:
• Nominations: Public can nominate and even self-nominations allowed. Screening: Padma Awards Committee shortlists nominees. Approval: Recommendations are sent to the Prime Minister and then to the President. Announcement: Made annually on the eve of Republic Day.
• Nominations: Public can nominate and even self-nominations allowed.
• Screening: Padma Awards Committee shortlists nominees.
• Approval: Recommendations are sent to the Prime Minister and then to the President.
• Announcement: Made annually on the eve of Republic Day.
• Limit: Maximum 120 awards annually, excluding posthumous/foreign/NRI/OCI awards.
• No Title Conferment: Awardees cannot use it as a prefix or suffix to their names.
• Discontinuity: 1978–1979: Discontinued by the Janata Party under PM Morarji Desai, citing inconsistency with democratic ideals. 1993–1997: Suspended due to PILs questioning their validity, but the Supreme Court upheld them in 1995 (Balaji Raghavan case). This led to full conferment resuming from 1997.
• 1978–1979: Discontinued by the Janata Party under PM Morarji Desai, citing inconsistency with democratic ideals.
• 1993–1997: Suspended due to PILs questioning their validity, but the Supreme Court upheld them in 1995 (Balaji Raghavan case). This led to full conferment resuming from 1997.