Dynamite News Republic Day: Bharat Ratna and Padma Awards; All you need to know...
The Bharat Ratna is the highest civilian award of India. It literally means 'Jewel of India'. A must read on Dynamite News:
New Delhi: Bharat Ratna and the Padma Awards are the highest civilian awards of India which are announced annually on the eve of Republic Day.
Bharat Ratna:
The Bharat Ratna is the highest civilian award of India. It literally means 'Jewel of India'.
Padma Awards:
The Awards are given in three categories:
1. Padma Vibhushan is India's second-highest civilian award, given for exceptional and distinguished service. The name translates to "Lotus Grandeur".
2. Padma Bhushan is a civilian award in India that recognizes distinguished service. It's the third-highest civilian award in the country, after the Bharat Ratna and Padma Vibhushan. The name translates to "Lotus Decoration".
3. Padma Shri is a civilian award in India that recognizes distinguished service in any field. It is the fourth highest civilian award in India, after the Bharat Ratna, Padma Vibhushan, and Padma Bhushan.
Here is a brief description of the Awards:
Bharat Ratna
Instituted on 2 January 1954, the Bharat Ratna award is conferred in recognition of "exceptional service/performance of the highest order", without distinction of race, occupation, position or gender.
The award was originally limited to achievements in the arts, literature, science, and public services, but the Government expanded the criteria to include "any field of human endeavor" in December 2011.
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Recommendation
The recommendations for the award are made by the Prime Minister to the President. The recipients receive a Sanad (certificate) signed by the President and a peepal leaf-shaped medallion.
Non-Indians too entitled
There is no formal provision that recipients of the Bharat Ratna should be Indian citizens. It has been awarded to a naturalised Indian citizen, Mother Teresa in 1980, and to two non-Indians, Abdul Ghaffar Khan of Pakistan in 1987 and the former South African President Nelson Mandela in 1990.
The recipient receives a Sanad (certificate) signed by the President and a medallion without any monetary grant.
Bharat Ratna medal
The current medal is in the shape of a peepal leaf rimmed in platinum. The embossed sun burst design, made of platinum, on the obverse side of the medal with rays spreading out from from the center of the Sun. The words "Bharat Ratna" on the obverse side and "Satyameva Jayate" on the reverse side. A 51 mm white ribbon is attached to the medal so it can be worn around the neck.
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:
1. Padma Vibhushan: The Padma Vibhushan is India's second-highest civilian award, given for exceptional and distinguished service. The name translates to "Lotus Grandeur".
The recipients receive a Sanad (certificate) signed by the President and a medal with no monetary grant and a medal that has a white gold rim, edges, and embossing. The medal's text is in silver gilt and it is suspended by a pink ribbon.
2. Padma Bhushan: The Padma Bhushan is a civilian award in India that recognizes distinguished service. It's the third-highest civilian award in the country, after the Bharat Ratna and Padma Vibhushan. The name translates to "Lotus Decoration".
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The recipients receive a Sanad (certificate) signed by the President and a bronze medallion that is suspended by a pink ribbon.
3. Padma Shri: The Padma Shri is a civilian award in India that recognizes distinguished service in any field. It is the fourth highest civilian award in India, after the Bharat Ratna, Padma Vibhushan, and Padma Bhushan.
The recipients receive a Sanad (certificate) signed by the President and a platinum State Emblem of India in the center.
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.
History
The Government of India instituted two civilian awards-Bharat Ratna and Padma Vibhushan in 1954. The latter had three classes namely Pahela Varg, Dusra Varg and Tisra Varg.
These were subsequently renamed as Padma Vibhushan, Padma Bhushan and Padma Shri vide Presidential Notification issued on January 8, 1955.