• Former Karnataka Chief Minister S.M. Krishna, noted industrialist Kumar Mangalam Birla and famous playback singer Suman Kalyanpur were given Padma awards by President Droupadi Murmu at a ceremony at the Rashtrapati Bhavan on March 22.

• Besides them, billionaire stock market investor Rakesh Jhunjhunwala, who had passed away last year, was given the Padma Shri posthumously.

• Krishna, a former minister of external affairs, was given the Padma Vibhushan. 

• Noted architect Balkrishna Doshi (posthumously) was given Padma Vibhushan, the country's second highest civilian honour. 

• Birla, chairman of the Aditya Birla Group, was given the Padma Bhushan, the country's third highest civilian award.

• The President had approved conferment of 106 Padma awards, including three duo cases (in a duo case, the award is counted as one), on the eve of this year's Republic Day.

• Of these, 54 were awarded — Padma Vibhushan (3), Padma Bhushan (4) and Padma Shri (47) — on March 22. Rest of the awardees would be conferred the honour in another ceremony later.

Padma Awards

• The Padma Awards are one of the highest civilian honours of India announced annually on the eve of Republic Day.

The awards are given in three categories: 

i) Padma Vibhushan (for exceptional and distinguished service).

ii) Padma Bhushan (distinguished service of higher order).

iii) Padma Shri (distinguished service).

• The award seeks to recognise achievements in all fields of activities or disciplines where an element of public service is involved.

• 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.

Bharat Ratna

• Bharat Ratna is the highest civilian award of the country. It is awarded in recognition of exceptional service/performance of the highest order in any field of human endeavour. It is treated on a different footing from Padma Award. 

• The recommendations for Bharat Ratna are made by the Prime Minister to the President. No formal recommendations for Bharat Ratna are necessary. The number of Bharat Ratna Awards is restricted to a maximum of three in a particular year. 

When were the awards instituted?

• The government instituted two civilian awards — Bharat Ratna and Padma Vibhushan in 1954. 

• Padma Vibhushan had three classes namely Pahela Varg, Dusra Varg and Tisra Varg. These were subsequently renamed as Padma Vibhushan, Padma Bhushan and Padma Shri.

• The award seeks to recognise works of distinction and is given for distinguished and exceptional achievements / service in all fields of activities / disciplines.

The fields include:

i) Art (includes music, painting, sculpture, photography, cinema and theatre)

ii) Social Work (includes social service, charitable service and community projects)

iii) Public Affairs (includes law, public life and politics)

iv) Science & Engineering (includes space engineering, nuclear science, information technology and research & development)

v) Trade & Industry (includes banking, economic activities, management, promotion of tourism and business)

vi) Medicine (includes medical research, distinction / specialisation in Ayurveda, Homeopathy, Siddha, Allopathy and Naturopathy)

vii) Literature & Education (includes journalism, teaching, book composing, literature, poetry, promotion of education and literacy, and education reforms)

viii) Civil Service (includes distinction / excellence in administration by government servants)

ix) Sports (includes popular sports, adventure, mountaineering and yoga)

x) Others (fields not covered above and may include propagation of Indian culture, protection of human rights, wildlife protection and conservation).

• 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 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 usually in March/April in a ceremony held at Rashtrapati Bhavan. The awardees are presented a certificate signed by the President and a medallion.

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

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