73rd Republic Day of India
Source: The Indian Express
Context:
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: Padma Vibhushan (for exceptional and distinguished service), Padma Bhushan (distinguished service of higher-order), and Padma Shri (distinguished service). The award seeks to recognize achievements in all fields of activities or disciplines where an element of public service is involved.
Padma awards will be given to 128 persons this year, including seasoned politicians, businesspeople, scientists, and physicians, as well as artists and ordinary people involved in public service, according to the announcement of the awardees.
While the majority of recipients accepted their prizes with elegance, former West Bengal chief minister Buddhadeb Bhattacharjee declined to do so.
What exactly are the Padma Awards?
After the Bharat Ratna, they are the second-highest civilian honour bestowed by the Indian government.
It was established in 1954, along with the Bharat Ratna award.
Award categories include the Padma Vibhushan (for extraordinary and distinguished service), the Padma Bhushan (for distinguished service of higher level), and the Padma Shri (for distinguished service of the highest degree) (distinguished service).
Efforts to recognise accomplishments in all spheres of activity or disciplines where an element of public service is present are the goal of the award programme.
Limitations and exclusions include:
The honorees do not get a monetary prize, but instead receive a certificate signed by the President, as well as a medallion, which they can display at public and government gatherings and ceremonies.
The awards, on the other hand, do not bestow a title, and it is intended that the recipients would not use them as a prefix or suffix to their given names.
A Padma awardee can be upgraded to a higher level of recognition only when five years have passed after the initial award was awarded.
A total of 120 prizes can be given out in a calendar year, although this does not include posthumous honours or awards granted to non-resident Indians and foreign nationals.
Eligibility:
There are no restrictions on who can apply for these prizes based on their race, occupation, status, or sexual orientation. These prizes, however, are not open to government employees, including those employed by public sector organisations (PSUs), with the exception of doctors and scientists.
The award is granted for "exceptional services," rather than simply for "long service.'
In order to qualify, the qualifications must be more than just excellence in a specific field; rather, they must be "excellence plus."
Who makes the nominations for the awardees?
Any Indian citizen has the ability to propose a possible recipient.
One can even recommend one's own self for consideration.
All nominations must be submitted online, where a form must be completed with the name and contact information of the person or organisation being nominated.
It is also necessary to submit an 800-word essay explaining the work done by the possible awardee for the nomination to be taken into consideration.
Who is in charge of selecting the awardees?
All nominations for Padma awards are presented to the Padma Awards Committee, which is appointed by the Prime Minister each year and consists of members from many fields.
The Padma Awards Committee is chaired by the Cabinet Secretary and consists of the Home Secretary, the Secretary to the President, and four to six renowned individuals as members. The Cabinet Secretary is the chairman of the committee.
The recommendations of the committee are forwarded to the Prime Minister of India and the President of India for their consideration and endorsement.
Is it necessary to obtain the consent of the recipient?
Written or formal approval from the recipient before the prize is announced is not provided for under the terms of the agreement. Every beneficiary, however, receives a phone call from the Ministry of Home Affairs prior to the announcement, telling him or her of the selection. If a person expresses a request to be removed from the award list, the name of the recipient is removed from the list.
