The Padma Awards have been announced on the eve of Republic Day

• This year four celebrities have been awarded the Padma Vibhushan.
• Former Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Kalyan Singh and the country’s first CDS General Bipin Rawat will be awarded the Padma Vibhushan posthumously.
• At the same time, senior Congress leader Ghulam Nabi Azad will be honored with Padma Bhushan.
• Apart from this, former West Bengal Chief Minister Buddhadeb Bhattacharjee and actor Victor Banerjee will also be honored with Padma Bhushan.
• Microsoft CEO Satya Nadella and Google CEO Sundar Pichai will be honored with the country’s third highest civilian honour, the Padma Bhushan.
• In addition, Cyrus Poonawalla of Serum Institute of India, Krishna Illa and Suchitra Illa of Bharat Biotech will also be honored with Padma Bhushan.
• A total of four Padma Vibhushans, 17 Padma Bhushans and 107 Padma Shri awards have been conferred this year.

About

• The Padma Awards are announced annually on Republic Day (26th January).
• It was instituted in 1954, except for brief interruption (suspended) during the years 1978 and 1979 and 1993 to 1997.
• It is one of the highest civilian honours of India.
• 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.

Objective

• It seeks to recognize achievements in all fields of activities or disciplines where an element of public service is involved.

Categories:

• The Awards are given in three categories:
• Padma Vibhushan (for exceptional and distinguished service),
• Padma Bhushan (distinguished service of higher-order) and
• Padma Shri (distinguished service).
• Padma Vibhushan is highest in the hierarchy of Padma Awards followed by Padma Bhushan and Padma Shri.

Disciplines:

• 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.

Selection Process:

• Padma Awards Committee: The Awards are conferred on the recommendations made by the Padma Awards Committee, which is constituted by the Prime Minister every year.
• Awarded by President: The awards are presented by the President of India usually in the month of March/April every year.

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 endeavor.
• It is treated on a different footing from Padma Award.
• The recommendations for Bharat Ratna are made by the Prime Minister to the President of India.
• 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.