Context:

On the eve of the 76th Republic Day, the Union government announced the recipients of the prestigious Padma Awards. 

More on the News

• For the year 2025, the President has approved the conferment of 139 Padma Awards including 1 duo case (in a duo case, the Award is counted as one). 
• The list comprises 7 Padma Vibhushan, 19 Padma Bhushan and 113 Padma Shri Awards. 
• 23 of the awardees are women and the list also includes 10 persons from the category of Foreigners/NRI/PIO/OCI and 13 Posthumous awardees. 

About Padma Awards

The Padma Awards, instituted in the year 1954, are one of the highest civilian honours of India announced annually on the eve of Republic Day.  

The Awards seek to recognize achievements in all fields of activities or disciplines where an element of public service is involved.

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 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. 

As a rule, the Awards are not conferred posthumously. However, in highly deserving cases, the Government could consider giving an award posthumously.

The Awards are given in three categories: 

• Padma Vibhushan for exceptional and distinguished service;
• Padma Bhushan for distinguished service of higher order; and 
• Padma Shri for distinguished service.

Eligibility & Nomination: 

• 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. 
• 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 nomination process is open to the public, and self-nominations are also accepted. 

Selection Process: 

• The Padma Awards are conferred on the recommendations made by 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, the 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.