Hierarchy of National and State-Level Civilian Awards in India

Civilian awards in India recognize individuals for exceptional achievements, dedicated public service, and outstanding contributions across fields such as art, literature, science, public affairs, sports, and social work. Instituted primarily in 1954, the national civilian honors system follows a strict hierarchical order determined by the degree of honor and public impact. Complementing these central honors, several state governments have established regional civilian awards to recognize local merit and civic contribution.

National Civilian Honors System

The Union Government confers national civilian awards annually on the eve of Republic Day. The President of India presents these awards at ceremonial functions held at Rashtrapati Bhavan.

Bharat Ratna

• Status: It is the highest civilian award of the country, established on January 2, 1954.
• Eligibility and Scope: Conferred for exceptional service or performance of the highest order in any field of human endeavor. The scope was expanded in 2011 from “art, literature, science, and public services” to include “any field of human endeavor,” opening eligibility to sports.
• Recommendation Process: Recommendations are made directly by the Prime Minister to the President of India. No formal nomination process is mandatory.
• Annual Cap: The number of awards is restricted to a maximum of three in a single calendar year, though exceptions occurred in special years.
• Insignia and Benefits: Features a bronze-toned peepal leaf with a sun emblem and the words “Bharat Ratna” inscribed in Devanagari script. It carries no monetary grant. Awardees receive a Sanad (certificate) signed by the President and a medallion.

The Padma Awards

The Padma Awards represent the second, third, and fourth tiers of national civilian honors. They were instituted in 1954 as Pahela Varg, Dusra Varg, and Tisra Varg, before being renamed in January 1955.

• Padma Vibhushan (Second Degree): Awarded for exceptional and distinguished service in any field.
• Padma Bhushan (Third Degree): Awarded for distinguished service of a high order.
• Padma Shri (Fourth Degree): Awarded for distinguished service in any field.

Governance and Selection Process of Padma Awards

The selection mechanism for Padma Awards operates under standard statutory and administrative protocols established by the Ministry of Home Affairs.

Padma Awards Committee

• Composition: Constituted annually by the Prime Minister. It is headed by the Cabinet Secretary and includes the Home Secretary, Secretary to the President, and four to six eminent non-official members.
• Nominations: Open to public self-nominations and recommendations from state governments, central ministries, and institutions of excellence through the centralized Rashtriya Puraskar portal.

Key Operational Rules

• Annual Ceiling: The total number of Padma awards given in a year cannot exceed 120, excluding posthumous awards and awards to foreigners, NRIs, PIOs, or OCIs.
• Government Servants Bar: Serving government servants, including those working in Public Sector Undertakings (PSUs), are ineligible, except for doctors and scientists.
• Time-Gap Requirement: A higher category of Padma award can generally be conferred on a person only if at least five years have passed since the conferment of an earlier Padma award.

Constitutional Framework and Order of Precedence

The Indian legal framework balances national honors with constitutional restrictions on titles.

Constitutional Mandate (Article 18)

• Prohibition of Titles: Article 18(1) of the Indian Constitution prohibits the state from conferring titles, excluding military and academic distinctions.
• Supreme Court Ruling: In Balaji Raghavan v. Union of India (1996), the Supreme Court upheld the constitutional validity of National Awards like Bharat Ratna and Padma Awards, declaring they are national decorations, not titles.
• Usage Restriction: Awardees cannot use these honors as prefixes or suffixes to their names on letterheads, business cards, or publications. Misuse can result in forfeiture of the honor.

Position in Order of Precedence

• Bharat Ratna recipients hold Rank 7A in the Official Warrant of Precedence issued by the President’s Secretariat, placing them alongside Cabinet Ministers and Governors within their respective states.
• Holders of Padma Vibhushan, Padma Bhushan, and Padma Shri do not hold specific numbered positions in the general Warrant of Precedence, but occupy a higher protocol status during formal state ceremonial functions compared to unawarded citizens.

State-Level Civilian Awards Framework

Several state governments have instituted regional civilian honors modeled on the national awards structure to recognize distinguished achievements within their respective domains.

Structure of State Awards

• Multi-Tier Formats: States like Assam and Kerala follow a three-tiered model similar to the Padma awards. Assam confers Assam Baibhav (highest), Assam Saurav (second highest), and Assam Gaurav (third highest). Kerala awards Kerala Jyothi, Kerala Prabha, and Kerala Shri.
• Monetary Grants: Unlike central awards, state awards often include substantial cash prizes along with citations and mementos. For example, the Maharashtra Bhushan includes a monetary grant of ₹25 lakh.

Quick Facts

• C. Rajagopalachari, Sarvepalli Radhakrishnan, and C. V. Raman were the first recipients of the Bharat Ratna in 1954.
• Khan Abdul Ghaffar Khan (1987) and Nelson Mandela (1990) are the two non-Indian foreign citizens awarded the Bharat Ratna.
• Mother Teresa was a naturalized Indian citizen when she received the Bharat Ratna in 1980.
• Lal Bahadur Shastri became the first recipient to receive the Bharat Ratna posthumously in 1966.
• Sachin Tendulkar became the youngest person and the first sports personality to receive the Bharat Ratna in 2014.
• The Padma Awards were briefly suspended during 1978–1979 and 1993–1997 due to political changes and litigation.
• The emblem of the Bharat Ratna depicts a sun image with the words “Bharat Ratna” on the obverse and the State Emblem of India with “Satyameva Jayate” on the reverse.
• The Bharat Ratna medallion is forged at the India Government Mint in Alipore, Kolkata.