Padma Awards and Gallantry Awards: Civil Services Mentor Magazine - April - 2016

Padma Awards and Gallantry Awards

Padma Awards

Padma Awards are one of the highest civilian Awards of the country. Padma awards have been divided into three categories, namely, Padma Vibhushan, Padma Bhushan and Padma Shri. Work in various fields like art, social work, public affairs, science and engineering, trade and industry, medicine, literature and education, sports, civil service, etc. has been awarded in Padma awards. ‘Padma Vibhushan’ is highest among the three awards, it is awarded for exceptional and distinguished service; ‘Padma Bhushan’ is in between Padma vibhusan and Padma shri, it is awarded for distinguished service of high order and ‘Padma Shri’ for distinguished service in any field. Names of the Padma award recipients of that year are disclosed on the republic day every year.

These awards are conferred by the President of India at ceremonial functions which are held at Rashtrapati Bhawan usually around March/ April every year. This year the President of India has approved conferment of Padma Awards to 112 persons as per the list below. The list comprises of 10 Padma Vibhushan, 19 Padma Bhushan and 83 Padma Shri Awardees. 19 of the awardees are women and the list also includes 10 persons from the category of foreigners, NRIs, PIOs (include one posthumous) and 4 Posthumous awardees.

Padma Vibhushan recipients include

The President has approved awards of 365 Gallantry and other Defence decorations to Armed Forces personnel and others on the eve of the 67th Republic Day Celebrations. This includes one Ashoka Chakra, four Kirti Chakras, 11 Shaurya Chakras, one Bar to Sena Medal (Gallantry), 48 Sena Medal (Gallantry), 04 Nao Sena Medal (Gallantry), two Vayu Sena Medal (Gallantry), 29 Param Vishisht Seva Medal, 05 Uttam Yudh Seva Medal, 04 Bar to Ati Vishisht Seva Medal, 49 Ati Vishisht Seva Medal, 20 Yudh Seva Medal, three Bar to Sena Medal (Devotion to Duty), 37 Sena Medal (Devotion to Duty), eight Nao Sena Medal (Devotion to Duty), 16 Vayu Sena Medal (Devotion to Duty), 05 Bar to Vishisht Seva Medal and 118 Vishisht Seva Medal.

The Ashoka Chakra is India’s highest peacetime military award given for valor, courageous action or self-sacrifice away from the battlefield. This award was constituted in 1950 and renamed in 1967. The decoration may be awarded either to military or civilian personnel. It replaced the British George Cross. Flt Lt Suhas Biswas was the first Indian Air Force officer to be awarded the Ashoka Chakra.A recipient can be awarded the Kirti Chakra or Shaurya Chakra in addition for separate acts of gallantry. This Year Ashoka Chakra has been awarded posthumously to 13625566W Lance Naik Mohan Nath Goswami of 9 Para (Special Forces)/6th Battalion of the Rashtriya Rifles for his acts of most conspicuous gallantry.

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