Padma Awards 2022: Nominations Close Today. From History To Selection Criteria, Know All About Civilian Honours

Padma Awards 2022: The list of awardees will be announced on the eve of Republic Day in 2022.

Padma Awards

New Delhi: The window for accepting online nominations for one of the highest civilian honours of India 'Padma Awards' will be closed on Wednesday. Committed to transforming the Padma Awards into 'People’s Padma', the government invited nominations for prestigious awards in June.

The list of awardees will be announced on the eve of Republic Day in 2022. The nominations or recommendations for Padma Awards will be received online on the Padma Awards portal https://padmaawards.gov.in 

READ: In A Leadership Revamp, Tata Sons Plans To Create A CEO Role To Oversee $106 Billion Empire 

The nomination process is open to the public. Even self-nomination can be made. All citizens were requested to nominate talented persons whose excellence and achievements deserve to be recognized from amongst women, SC/STs, divyang persons and who are doing selfless service to the society and make nominations/recommendations.

History Of Padma Awards

The government instituted two civilian awards-Bharat Ratna & Padma Vibhushan in 1954. The latter had three classes namely Pahela Varg, Dusra Varg, and Tisra Varg. These were subsequently renamed Padma Vibhushan, Padma Bhushan and Padma Shri through Presidential Notification issued on January 8, 1955.

Three Categories Of Padma Awards

Given in three categories, Padma Awards are aimed at recognizing achievements in all fields of activities or disciplines where an element of public service is involved.

• Padma Vibhushan for exceptional and distinguished service
• Padma Bhushan for distinguished service of a high order
• Padma Shri for distinguished service

Selection Procedure

The Padma Awards are conferred on the recommendations made by the Padma Awards Committee, which is constituted by the Prime Minister every year.

All nominations received for Padma Awards are placed before the Padma Awards Committee, headed by the Cabinet Secretary and includes 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.

Who’s Not Eligible For Padma Awards

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

Can It Be Awarded To The Same Person Again

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.

When Are Awards Presented

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 Padma awards come with no cash prize but 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.

What is the total number of awards?

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.

What are the fields/discipline in which awards are conferred? 

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:

• Art (includes Music, Painting, Sculpture, Photography, Cinema, Theatre etc.)
• Social work (includes social service, charitable service, contribution in community projects etc.)
• Public Affairs (includes Law, Public Life, Politics etc.)
• Science & Engineering (includes Space Engineering, Nuclear Science, Information Technology, Research & Development in Science & its allied subjects etc.)
• Trade & Industry (includes Banking, Economic Activities, Management, Promotion of Tourism, Business etc.)
  Medicine (includes medical research, distinction/specialization in Ayurveda, Homeopathy, Sidhha, Allopathy, Naturopathy etc.)
• Literature & Education (includes Journalism, Teaching, Book composing, Literature, Poetry, Promotion of education, Promotion of literacy, Education Reforms etc.)
• Civil Service (includes distinction/excellence in administration etc. by Government Servants)
• Sports (includes popular Sports, Athletics, Adventure, Mountaineering, promotion of sports, Yoga etc.)
• Others (fields not covered above and may include propagation of Indian Culture, protection of Human Rights, Wild Life protection/conservation etc.)