Padma Shri

Padma Shri
Awarded by

Government of India
Type Civilian
Category National
Description
Ribbon
Statistics
Instituted 1954
First awarded 1954
Last awarded 2016
Total awarded 2680
Award rank
← Kirti Chakra[1] Sarvottam Jeevan Raksha Padak[1] →

Padma Shri (also Padmashree) is the fourth highest civilian award in the Republic of India, after the Bharat Ratna, the Padma Vibhushan and the Padma Bhushan. Awarded by the Government of India, it is announced every year on India's Republic Day.[2]

History

Padma Awards were instituted in 1954 to be awarded to citizens of India in recognition of their distinguished contribution in various spheres of activity including the Arts, Education, Industry, Literature, Science, Sports, Medicine, Social Service and Public Affairs. It has also been awarded to some distinguished individuals who were not citizens of India but did contribute in various ways to India.

The selection criteria have been criticized in some quarters with the claim that many highly deserving artists have been left out in order to favor certain individuals.[3]

On its obverse, the words "Padma", meaning lotus in Sanskrit, and "Shri", a Sanskrit-derived honorific equivalent to 'Mr.' or 'Ms.', appear in Devanagari above and below a lotus flower. The geometrical pattern on either side is in burnished bronze. All embossing is in white gold.

As of 2014, 2680 people have received the award.[4]

Awards by decade

References

  1. 1 2 "Precedence Of Medals". Website. Indian Army. Retrieved 9 September 2014.
  2. ↑ "Padma award's schema" (PDF). Ministry of Home Affairs. Retrieved 2014-08-13.
  3. ↑ "Padma’s Easy Slim Zone | Vrinda Gopinath". Outlookindia.com. Retrieved 2013-07-10.
  4. ↑ "Padma Awards 2014 announced" (Press release). Ministry of Home Affairs. 25 January 2014. Retrieved 25 January 2014.

See also

External links

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