12-Jun-2025 11:00 AM
Padma Awards 2025: Honouring India’s Changemakers
Latest Update: Civil Investiture Ceremony 2025
On 29th April 2025, the President of India conferred a total of 71 Padma Awards during the Civil Investiture Ceremony-I held at the iconic Rashtrapati Bhavan’s Ganatantra Mandap. These included:
4 Padma Vibhushan
10 Padma Bhushan
57 Padma Shri
This celebration of national talent and service brought together stories of silent heroes, innovators, artists, and trailblazers from across the country.
A Glimpse into History: Origins of Padma Awards
The Padma Awards were instituted in 1954, the same year as the Bharat Ratna, India's highest civilian honour.
Initially, they were classified into:
Pahela Varg
Dusra Varg
Tisra Varg
In 1955, these were renamed as:
Padma Vibhushan (2nd highest civilian award)
Padma Bhushan (3rd highest)
Padma Shri (4th highest)
Understanding the Awards: Categories and Criteria
Award Categories
Padma Vibhushan: For exceptional and distinguished service.
Padma Bhushan: For distinguished service of a high order.
Padma Shri: For distinguished service in any field.
Who Can Receive It?
Open to all Indian citizens, regardless of gender, caste, or profession.
Even foreign nationals, NRIs, and Overseas Citizens of India (OCIs) are eligible.
Government employees are generally excluded, except for doctors and scientists.
Posthumous awards are allowed in exceptional cases.
There must be a minimum 5-year gap between a lower and higher category award, unless waived by the Awards Committee.
Selection Process: How Awardees Are Chosen
The process is designed to be inclusive and democratic:
Nominations are open to the general public. Yes, even self-nominations are allowed!
The Padma Awards Committee, formed annually by the Prime Minister, examines all entries.
The Cabinet Secretary heads this committee.
Final recommendations go to the Prime Minister and then the President of India.
Winners receive a Sanad (certificate) signed by the President and a beautifully designed medallion.
Diverse Fields Recognised
Padma Awards aren’t limited to politicians or celebrities. They celebrate contributions in:
Art and Culture
Social Work
Public Affairs
Science & Engineering
Trade and Industry
Medicine
Literature and Education
Sports
Civil Service, and more.
Other Key Guidelines
The annual cap is 120 awards, excluding:
Posthumous recognitions
Awards to foreign nationals or NRIs
The Padma Awards do not confer any title and cannot be used as a prefix or suffix (like "Padma Shri Sharma").
Padma Vibhushan (7 Recipients)
The Padma Vibhushan is the second-highest civilian award in India, recognizing exceptional and distinguished service. The 2025 recipients are:
Shri Duvvur Nageshwar Reddy – Medicine (Telangana)
Justice (Retd.) Shri Jagdish Singh Khehar – Public Affairs (Chandigarh)
Smt. Kumudini Rajnikant Lakhia – Art (Gujarat)
Shri Lakshminarayana Subramaniam – Art (Karnataka)
Shri M. T. Vasudevan Nair (Posthumous) – Literature and Education (Kerala)
Shri Osamu Suzuki (Posthumous) – Trade and Industry (Japan)
Smt. Sharda Sinha (Posthumous) – Art (Bihar)
Padma Bhushan (19 Recipients)
The Padma Bhushan is awarded for distinguished service of a high order. The 2025 recipients include:
Shri A Surya Prakash – Literature and Education (Journalism) (Karnataka)
Shri Anant Nag – Art (Karnataka)
Shri Bibek Debroy (Posthumous) – Literature and Education (NCT Delhi)
Shri Jatin Goswami – Art (Assam)
Shri Jose Chacko Periappuram – Medicine (Kerala)
Shri Kailash Nath Dikshit – Others (Archaeology) (NCT Delhi)
Shri Manohar Joshi (Posthumous) – Public Affairs (Maharashtra)
Shri Nalli Kuppuswami Chetti – Trade and Industry (Tamil Nadu)
Shri Nandamuri Balakrishna – Art (Andhra Pradesh)
Shri P R Sreejesh – Sports (Kerala)
Shri Pankaj Patel – Trade and Industry (Gujarat)
Shri Pankaj Udhas (Posthumous) – Art (Maharashtra)
Shri Rambahadur Rai – Literature and Education (Journalism) (Uttar Pradesh)
Sadhvi Ritambhara – Social Work (Uttar Pradesh)
Shri S Ajith Kumar – Art (Tamil Nadu)
Shri Shekhar Kapur – Art (Maharashtra)
Ms. Shobana Chandrakumar – Art (Tamil Nadu)
Shri Sushil Kumar Modi (Posthumous) – Public Affairs (Bihar)
Shri Vinod Dham – Science and Engineering (United States of America)
Padma Shri (113 Recipients)
The Padma Shri is awarded for distinguished service in any field. The 2025 recipients span a wide range of disciplines, including:
Art: Notable figures like Ustad Amjad Ali Khan (Sarod Maestro), Pandit Birju Maharaj (Kathak Dancer), and N. Rajam (Violinist) were honored.
Literature and Education: Authors such as Ruskin Bond and Dr. Keki N. Daruwalla received recognition for their contributions to literature.
Science and Engineering: Innovators like Dr. Raghunath Anant Mashelkar (Chemical Engineer) and Dr. Manohar B. Bhat (Physicist) were acknowledged for their scientific achievements.
Social Work: Individuals like Dr. Kiran Bedi (Social Reformer) and Dr. Bindeshwar Pathak (Founder of Sulabh International) were honored for their work in social reform.
Sports: Athletes such as P.V. Sindhu (Badminton) and Sushil Kumar (Wrestling) were recognized for their excellence in sports.
This diverse group of awardees reflects the rich tapestry of talent and dedication present across India.
Key Highlights
Total Awards: 139
Women Awardees: 23
Foreign/NRI/PIO/OCI Recipients: 10
Posthumous Awards: 13
These awards serve as a testament to the exceptional contributions made by individuals in various fields, highlighting the nation's commitment to recognizing and honoring excellence.
Padma Awards: Multiple-Choice Questions (MCQs)
1. When were the Padma Awards first established?
A) 1947
B) 1950
C) 1954
D) 1962
✅ Answer: C) 1954
2. Which of the following is the highest category among Padma Awards?
A) Padma Shri
B) Padma Bhushan
C) Bharat Ratna
D) Padma Vibhushan
✅ Answer: D) Padma Vibhushan
(Note: Bharat Ratna is higher but not part of the Padma trio.)
3. Who is not usually eligible for the Padma Awards?
A) Doctors
B) Scientists
C) Public Sector employees (non-scientific roles)
D) Foreign nationals
✅ Answer: C) Public Sector employees (non-scientific roles)
4. Can someone nominate themselves for a Padma Award?
A) No, only government can nominate
B) Yes, self-nomination is allowed
C) Only political parties can nominate
D) Only past awardees can nominate
✅ Answer: B) Yes, self-nomination is allowed
5. What is given to Padma awardees during the ceremony?
A) Cash prize
B) A trophy
C) A Sanad and medallion
D) Title of "Sir" or "Dame"
✅ Answer: C) A Sanad and medallion
6. How many Padma Vibhushan awards were conferred in 2025?
A) 5
B) 7
C) 10
D) 12
✅ Answer: B) 7
