Introduction to the 2024 Padma Awards

- President Droupadi Murmu recently honoured an array of eminent personalities with the esteemed Padma Awards of 2024.

- The recipients for this year constituted a diverse group of individuals including popular figures from politics, cinema, sport, music, and social work.

Notable Recipients of the 2024 Padma Awards

- The distinguished cohort of awardees included former Vice President M. Venkaiah Naidu, actor and politician Mithun Chakraborty, singer Usha Uthup, and tennis ace Rohan Bopanna.

- Composite social reformer Bindeshwar Pathak, founder of Sulabh International, and Bharatanatyam maven Padma Subrahmanyam were bestowed with the Padma Vibhushan, the highest honour in the hierarchy of Padma Awards.

Overview of the Total Padma Awards Conferred in 2024

- The President approved a total of 132 Padma Awards for 2024, including two awarded as duo cases. These are special cases where the honour counts as one award for two individuals.

- These awards comprised 5 Padma Vibhushan, 17 Padma Bhushan, and 110 Padma Shri awards.

- The recipients include 30 females, 8 individuals from the Foreigners/NRI/PIO/OCI category, along with 9 posthumous honorees.

General Knowledge on Padma Awards: History, Objective, & Significance

Inception and History

- The Padma Awards were first instituted in 1954.

- They are announced annually on Republic Day, an iconic date in India's calendar, occurring on the 26th of January.

Objective

- These awards aim to acknowledge and honour exceptional achievements done in public service across a variety of fields or disciplines.

Hierarchy and Categories

- They are segregated into three categories namely, Padma Vibhushan for exceptional and extraordinary service, Padma Bhushan for distinguished service of a high level and Padma Shri for distinguished service.

- The awards follow a hierarchy with Padma Vibhushan at the top, followed by Padma Bhushan and Padma Shri.

Eligibility

- The eligibility for these awards is comprehensive, with no restrictions on race, occupation, position, or gender.

Selection Process

- The selection for these awards is conducted by the Padma Awards Committee, which is constituted by the Prime Minister every year.

- The final presentation is carried out by the President of India, typically in March/April annually.