SYLLABUS
Prelims:Current events of National & International importance.
Context: To recognise exceptional civilian contributions across diverse fields, the President of India approved the Padma Awards 2026, announced on the occasion of Republic Day.
More on the News
- The President of India approved the conferment of 131 Padma Awards, including two duo cases (where the award is counted as one).
- It includes 5 Padma Vibhushan, 13 Padma Bhushan, and a total of 113 Padma Shri recipients across various fields.
- The awards will be presented at ceremonial functions at Rashtrapati Bhawan during March or April 2026.
- Nineteen women are among the awardees, reflecting increased recognition of women achievers.
- Six recipients belong to the categories of Foreigners, Non-Resident Indians (NRIs), Persons of Indian Origin (PIOs) or Overseas Citizens of India (OCIs).
- Sixteen awards have been conferred posthumously to honour contributions made during the recipients’ lifetimes.
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 recognise 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, 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 awardee’s name.
- The Awards are given in three categories:
- Padma Vibhushan for exceptional and distinguished service
- Padma Bhushan for distinguished service of higher order
- 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.
- Online nominations can be filed through padmaawards.gov.in.
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.