A centrally located lotus flower is embossed and the text "Padma" written in Devanagari script is placed above and the text "Bhushan" is placed below the lotus.
Reverse
A platinumState Emblem of India placed in the centre with the national motto of India, "Satyameva Jayate" (Truth alone triumphs) in Devanagari Script
ThePadma Bhushan is the third-highestcivilian award of theRepublic of India.[1] Instituted on 2January 1954, the award is given for "distinguished service of a high order", without distinction of race, occupation, position, or sex.[2] The recipients receive aSanad, a certificate signed by thePresident of India and a circular-shaped medallion with no monetary association. The recipients are announced every year onRepublic Day (26January) and registered inThe Gazette of India, a publication used for official government notices and released weekly by the Department of Publication, under theMinistry of Urban Development.[3] The conferral of the award is not considered official without its publication in theGazette. The names of recipients whose awards have been revoked or restored, both of which require the authority of the President, are archived, and recipients who are struck from the register are required to surrender their medals;[4] none of the conferments of Padma Bhushan during 1990–1999 have been revoked or restored. The recommendations are received from all thestate and the union territory governments, as well as fromMinistries of the Government of India, theBharat Ratna and thePadma Vibhushan awardees, the Institutes of Excellence, the Ministers, theChief Ministers and theGovernors of State, and theMembers of Parliament including private individuals.[3]
When instituted in 1954, the Padma Bhushan was classified as "Dusra Varg" (Class II) under the three-tierPadma Vibhushan awards, which were preceded by the Bharat Ratna in hierarchy. On 15January 1955, the Padma Vibhushan was reclassified into three different awards as the Padma Vibhushan, the Padma Bhushan and thePadma Shri.[3] The criteria included "distinguished service of a high order in any field including service rendered by Government servants", but excluded those working with thepublic sector undertakings with the exception of doctors and scientists. The 1954 statutes did not allow posthumous awards; this was subsequently modified in the January 1955 statute.[4] The design was also changed to the form that is currently in use; it portrays a circular-shaped toned bronze medallion1+3⁄4 inches (44 mm) in diameter and1⁄8 inch (3.2 mm) thick. The centrally placed pattern made of outer lines of a square of1+3⁄16 inches (30 mm) side is embossed with a knob carved within each of the outer angles of the pattern. A raised circular space of diameter1+1⁄16 inches (27 mm) is placed at the centre of the decoration. A centrally located lotus flower is embossed on the obverse side of the medal and the text "Padma" is placed above and the text "Bhushan" is placed below the lotus written inDevanagari script. TheState Emblem of India is displayed in the centre of the reverse side, together with the national motto of India, "Satyameva Jayate" (Truth alone triumphs) in Devanagari script, which is inscribed on the lower edge. The rim, the edges and all embossing on either side is of standard gold with the text "Padma Bhushan" of gold gilt. The medal is suspended by a pink riband1+1⁄4 inches (32 mm) in width with a broad white stripe in the middle.[3][4] It is ranked fifth in the order of precedence of wearing of medals and decorations ofthe Indian civilian and military awards.[a]
In the 1990s, a total of 113 people were conferred with the award. Twenty-four awards were presented in both 1990 and 1991, followed by thirty-three in 1992. In February 1992, awrit petition was filed in theKerala High Court questioning whether the civilian awards presented the Government of India were "titles" as per the Article18 (1) of theConstitution of India.[6] The subject constitutional article states that "no title, not being a military or academic distinction, shall be conferred by the State".[7] Similar petition was also filed in August 1992 in the Indore Bench of theMadhya Pradesh High Court and a notice was issued on 25August that led to provisional suspension of all civilian awards.[8][9] A Special Divisional Bench of theSupreme Court of India was set up with a panel of five judges that delivered the verdict on 15December 1995 that the "Bharat Ratna and Padma awards are not titles within Article 18 of the Constitution of India".[8][10] Later in 1998 when the presentation of the awards resumed, eighteen recipients received the award followed by fourteen in 1999. The Padma Bhushan in the 1990s was also conferred upon five foreign recipients – two from the United Kingdom and one each from Japan, New Zealand, and the United States. Individuals from ten fields were honoured that included twenty-six artists, twenty-three from literature and education, eighteen from science and engineering, fifteen from medicine, eleven from public affairs, ten from social work, three sportspersons, three from trade and industry, and two from civil services and other fields each.[11]
JournalistNikhil Chakravarty declined the award in 1990 so as to "not be identified with the establishment".[12] HistorianRomila Thapar declined to accept the award in 1992, and later again in 2005, stating that she would accept awards only "from academic institutions or those associated with my professional work".[12] Similar to Chakravarty, journalist and civil servantK. Subrahmanyam also refused the honour citing that "bureaucrats and journalists should not accept any award from the government because they are more liable to be favoured."[12]
^Lal, Shavax A. (1954)."The Gazette of India—Extraordinary—Part I"(PDF).The Gazette of India. The President's Secretariat (published 2 January 1954): 2. Archived fromthe original(PDF) on 14 May 2014. Retrieved31 March 2018.The President is pleased to institute an award to be designated 'Padma Vibhushan' in three classes, namely: 'Pahela Varg', 'Dusra Varg' and 'Tisra Varg'
^abcAyyar, N. M. (1955)."The Gazette of India—Extraordinary—Part I"(PDF).The Gazette of India. The President's Secretariat (published 15 January 1955): 8.Archived(PDF) from the original on 18 May 2014. Retrieved31 March 2018.All persons upon whom the decoration of 'Padma Vibhushan' ('Dusra Varg') was conferred under the Regulations issued with Notification No. 2-Pres./54, dated the 2nd January, 1954, shall, for all purposes of these regulations, be deemed to be persons on whom the decoration of Padma Bhushan has been conferred by the President.
^Chatterjee, Saibal; Prakash, Amit (10 January 1996)."An Honourable Judgement".Outlook.Archived from the original on 9 March 2022. Retrieved4 January 2018.
Padma Vibhushan
Padma Shri
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