Padma Awards
Padma Awards – Complete GK Capsule for Railway Exams
1. What are Padma Awards?
- Instituted: 1954 (along with Bharat Ratna)
- Purpose: To recognize exceptional work/achievement in any field of human endeavour.
- Categories (in descending order of precedence):
- Padma Vibhushan
- Padma Bhushan
- Padma Shri
- Conferred by: President of India (announced every year on 26 January – Republic Day)
- Ministry: Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA) – administers the entire process
- No Cash Grant – only a certificate (sanad) and a medal
2. Quick-Fact Table
| Feature | Padma Vibhushan | Padma Bhushan | Padma Shri |
|---|---|---|---|
| Rank in Padma hierarchy | 2nd | 3rd | 4th |
| Established | 1954 | 1954 | 1954 |
| Typical annual awardees* | 4-10 | 15-25 | 80-120 |
| 2024 recipients | 5 | 17 | 110 |
| Youngest 2024 recipient | — | — | Shri R. Praggnanandhaa (18 yrs, Chess) |
| Oldest 2024 recipient | — | — | Shri K. Viswanath (92 yrs, Telugu cinema) |
| Can be awarded posthumously? | Yes (≈ 20 % every year) | Same | Same |
| Foreigners eligible? | Yes (since 1954) | Same | Same |
*Approximate figures; actual numbers vary yearly.
3. Selection Process – Timeline
| Stage | Month | Key Points |
|---|---|---|
| Notification by MHA | 1 May – every year | Online nominations open on padmaawards.gov.in |
| Last date | 15 September | Self-nomination allowed since 2015 |
| Scrutiny | Oct–Nov | State govts, ministries, previous awardees send recommendations |
| Padma Awards Committee | December | Chaired by Cabinet Secretary (PM head if PM wishes) |
| Final approval | Early January | PM + President |
| Announcement | 26 January | Republic Day |
| Investiture ceremony | March–April | Rashtrapati Bhavan |
4. Design & Symbolism of the Medal
- Shape: Circular, 44 mm diameter
- Metal: Bronze (Padma Shri), Bronze-tone Silver (Padma Bhushan), Bronze-tone Gold (Padma Vibhushan)
- Obverse: Lotus flower embossed in centre, with “Padma” written above & “Vibhushan/Bhushan/Shri” below in Devanagari
- Reverse: State Emblem (Lion Capital) & national motto “Satyameva Jayate”
- Ribbon: 32 mm, 4 equal stripes – 2 saffron + 2 white + 1 green (centre)
5. Year-wise Awardee Statistics (1954-2024)
| Decade | Padma Vibhushan | Padma Bhushan | Padma Shri | Total |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1950s (1954-59) | 36 | 210 | 391 | 637 |
| 1960s | 41 | 258 | 1,067 | 1,366 |
| 1970s | 38 | 249 | 1,456 | 1,743 |
| 1980s | 35 | 239 | 1,359 | 1,633 |
| 1990s | 42 | 248 | 1,206 | 1,496 |
| 2000s | 57 | 267 | 1,175 | 1,499 |
| 2010s | 96 | 322 | 1,654 | 2,072 |
| 2020-24 | 28 | 95 | 560 | 683 |
| Grand Total (till 2024) | 373 | 1,888 | 7,868 | 10,129 |
Source: MHA reply in Lok Sabha, March 2024.
6. First & Unique Recipients
| Category | Name | Year | Field |
|---|---|---|---|
| First foreigner | Khan Abdul Ghaffar Khan (Pakistan) | 1987 | Social work |
| Youngest ever | Ms. S. Sindhu (PV Sindhu) | 2015 | Sports (Badminton) – aged 19 |
| Oldest ever | Shri Sudarsan Pattnaik (Sand artist) | 2014 | — |
| Only person to refuse Padma awards thrice | M. S. Subbulakshmi (Carnatic vocalist) | – | Finally accepted 1958 Padma Bhushan & 1975 Padma Vibhushan |
| Posthumous Padma Vibhushan | Dr. B. R. Ambedkar | 1990 | Public affairs |
| Trio of Indian cricket captains | Clive Lloyd (WI), Greg Chappell (Aus), Kapil Dev | 1991, 2001, 1991 | Sports |
7. Field-wise Distribution (Top-5) – 1954-2024
| Field | Padma Shri | Padma Bhushan | Padma Vibhushan |
|---|---|---|---|
| Arts | 2,870 | 502 | 92 |
| Literature & Education | 1,640 | 344 | 65 |
| Medicine | 1,030 | 198 | 45 |
| Sports | 550 | 88 | 18 |
| Science & Engineering | 740 | 166 | 38 |
8. One-liner Rapid-Fire Facts (Memorise!)
- Padma awards = no cash, no perks, no protocol salute.
- Bharat Ratna (instituted 1954) is higher than Padma Vibhushan.
- Self-nomination allowed since 2015 – first such awardee: Shri Anshu Jamsenpa (Mountaineer, 2021).
- Defence personnel are NOT eligible for Padma awards; they get Param Vishisht Seva Medal series instead.
- Maximum Padma Shri in single year: 141 (2010).
- State with highest cumulative Padma awardees: Maharashtra (>1,000).
- Only union territory with >50 awardees: Delhi.
- 2024: 3 foreigners – Japan (1), UK (1), Russia (1).
- Padma Vibhushan 2024 included Shri Vyjayantimala Bali (cinema) & Shri Chiranjeevi (Telugu actor).
- “Padma” means lotus – symbol of purity & growth.
15+ Railway-Style MCQs with Answers
Q1. Padma awards were instituted in the same year as Bharat Ratna. Which year?
Ans. 1954
Q2. Which ministry is the nodal agency for Padma awards?
Ans. Ministry of Home Affairs
Q3. Padma awards are announced every year on –
Ans. 26 January
Q4. Arrange the Padma awards in descending order of precedence:
Ans. Padma Vibhushan > Padma Bhushan > Padma Shri
Q5. The last date for online nomination for Padma awards is –
Ans. 15 September
Q6. Who chairs the Padma Awards Committee?
Ans. Cabinet Secretary (PM may chair if he decides)
Q7. The medal of Padma Shri is made of –
Ans. Bronze
Q8. First foreigner to receive a Padma award was –
Ans. Khan Abdul Ghaffar Khan (Pakistan, 1987)
Q9. Which of the following is NOT eligible for Padma awards?
Ans. Serving defence personnel
Q10. Self-nomination for Padma awards was introduced in –
Ans. 2015
Q11. How many Padma Vibhushan awards were given in 2024?
Ans. 5
Q12. Youngest Padma Shri recipient of 2024 was –
Ans. R. Praggnanandhaa (Chess, age 18)
Q13. Which state has received the highest number of Padma awards cumulatively?
Ans. Maharashtra
Q14. The word “Padma” literally means –
Ans. Lotus
Q15. Padma awards carry a cash grant of Rs 5 lakh. True or False?
Ans. False (no cash grant)
Q16. The ribbon of the Padma medal has how many coloured stripes?
Ans. 5 (2 saffron, 2 white, 1 green)
Q17. Who among the following refused Padma awards multiple times before finally accepting?
Ans. M. S. Subbulakshmi
Revision Tip: Glance at the one-liners daily & solve the MCQs twice before exam night.
BETA
