AWARDS AND HONOURS IN INDIA

INTRODUCTION
- Government of India institutes various awards and honours
- Aim is to motivate individuals with excellence, creativity and public service
- Awards cover civil, literary, cultural, cinematic and artistic fields

BHARAT RATNA
- Highest civilian award of India
- Instituted on 2 January 1954
- Awarded for exceptional service or performance of the highest order
- Initially limited to literature, science, public service and arts
- Expanded in December 2011 to include all fields of human endeavour
- Recommendations made by Prime Minister-led Council of Ministers
- Final approval by President of India
- Maximum of 3 awards in a year
- No monetary grant
- Recipients receive:
  - Certificate signed by President
  - Peepal leaf–shaped medallion
- Rank 7 in Order of Precedence
- First recipients (1954):
  - C. Rajagopalachari
  - Sarvepalli Radhakrishnan
  - C. V. Raman

PADMA AWARDS (Instituted in 1954)
- Announced every year on Republic Day
- Awarded for outstanding service in:
  - Art
  - Literature and education
  - Sports
  - Social work
  - Science and technology
  - Public affairs
  - Trade and industry
- Categories:
  - Padma Vibhushan
  - Padma Bhushan
  - Padma Shri

GENERAL RULES FOR PADMA AWARDS
- Higher Padma can be awarded only after 5 years from previous Padma
- Posthumous awards are rare
- Contribution must include public service component
- Government servants not eligible (except doctors and scientists)
- Self-nomination is allowed
- Selection by Padma Awards Committee:
  - Headed by Cabinet Secretary
  - Includes Home Secretary, Secretary to President and eminent persons
- Not awarded during:
  - 1978–79
  - 1993–97

PADMA VIBHUSHAN
- Second highest civilian award
- For exceptional and distinguished service
- Medal with lotus and inscription “Desh Seva”

PADMA BHUSHAN
- Third highest civilian award
- For distinguished service of high order
- Award ceremony held at Rashtrapati Bhavan

PADMA SHRI
- Fourth highest civilian award
- For distinguished service in various fields

NATIONAL FILM AWARDS
- Instituted in 1954
- Managed by Directorate of Film Festivals (since 1973)
- Selection by national jury
- Conferred by President of India
- Covers films from all Indian languages

DADASAHEB PHALKE AWARD
- Highest award in Indian cinema
- Lifetime achievement award
- Named after Dadasaheb Phalke (Father of Indian Cinema)
- Given for outstanding contribution to Indian cinema

JNANPITH AWARD
- Highest literary award in India
- Instituted in 1961
- Awarded annually by Bharatiya Jnanpith
- For outstanding contribution to Indian literature
- Bharatiya Jnanpith established in 1944 by Shahu Shanti Prasad Jain

SAHITYA ACADEMY AWARD
- Second highest literary honour
- Instituted in 1954
- Awarded for works in:
  - 22 Eighth Schedule languages
  - English
  - Rajasthani
- Award includes:
  - Plaque
  - Cash prize of Rs 1,00,000

ELIGIBILITY FOR SAHITYA ACADEMY AWARD
- Author must be Indian citizen
- Work must make significant literary contribution
- Overall contribution considered in case of tie

OTHER SAHITYA ACADEMY AWARDS
- Bal Sahitya Puraskar
  - For children’s literature
  - Based on works published in last 5 years
- Yuva Puraskar
  - For authors below 35 years
- Sahitya Academy Fellowships
  - Bhasha Samman
  - Translation Awards
  - Ananda Coomarswamy Fellowship
  - Premchand Fellowship

BHASHA SAMMAN
- Instituted in 1996
- For contribution to Indian languages
- Given to writers, editors, scholars and translators

TRANSLATION AWARDS
- Instituted in 1989
- For translation between Indian languages

ANANDA COOMARSWAMY FELLOWSHIP
- Instituted in 1996
- For Asian scholars
- Duration: 3–12 months in India

PREMCHAND FELLOWSHIP
- Instituted in 2005
- For scholars from SAARC countries
- For contribution to culture and literature

SARASWATI SAMMAN
- Instituted in 1991 by K. K. Birla Foundation
- For literary works in Eighth Schedule languages
- First recipient:
  - Harivansh Rai Bachchan

VYAS SAMMAN
- Instituted in 1991
- Awarded by K. K. Birla Foundation
- For Hindi literary works
- Work must be published in last 10 years
- Prize money: Rs 2,50,000

KALIDAS SAMMAN
- Instituted in 1980
- Awarded by Government of Madhya Pradesh
- For contribution in:
  - Classical Dance
  - Classical Music
  - Theatre
  - Plastic Arts

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Subject: Art and Culture

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