Padma Bhushan Award is an Indian civilian award, which is given by the President of India. It ranks second in the three class category of the prestigious Padma Awards. Padma Vibhushan Award is the highest in this category and the other award is the Padma Shri Award. Padma Bhushan Award ranks third among all the Indian civilian awards presented in India, after the Bharat Ratna and Padma Vibhushan. It is presented to recognize distinguished and exceptional services of the highest order to the nation. Indian citizens and government servants achieving great feats in any field can receive the award. The award can also be given posthumously.
History of Padma Bhushan Award
Padma Bhushan Award was introduced on 2nd of January, 1954. In the first year of its inception, the award was presented to a total of 23 people. Since then, the award is being given every year, except for a short period from 13th July of 1977 to 26th of January 1980, when it was suspended due to unavoidable circumstances.
Design of Padma Bhushan Award
The original design of the award was a circular silver medal, with a diameter of 1-3/8 inches. There was a lotus flower inscribed in the center of the award. The term `Padma Bhushan` was written in the center of the medal and there was a floral wreath below. On the reverse side of the medal, there was a state emblem with `Desh Seva` or `National Service` written with a lotus wreath below. The recipients of the award used to wear the medal around their neck with a ribbon.
The design of Padma Bhushan Award was altered within a year on 8th of January, 1955. It is uncertain whether any specimen of this design was produced. The design was altered principally with a view to remove class structure. The award became a circular bronze badge, with a diameter of 1-3/16 inch and had geometrical patterns. There was a lotus flower inscribed in the middle of the badge, with three petals embossed in white gold. The term `Padma Bhushan` was written in Hindi, above and below the lotus flower and the term was embossed in silver gilt.
On 26th of January, 1957, Padma Bhushan Award was again designed. The badge was altered to polished bronze, with the embossing in white gold.
The badge of the Padma Bhushan Award is suspended from a ring. The national emblem is inscribed on the reverse side of the badge, and the motto is embossed below in white gold. The winners of this award wear the badge with a ribbon that is 32 millimeter long and medium pink in color. There is a 6 millimeter central white stripe in the ribbon. The female recipients of the award wear the badge with a bow fashioned from this ribbon.
Padma Bhushan Awardees
A total of 1231 people have received Padma Bhushan Award for showing outstanding performances in their respective fields. The award winners are known as Padma Bhushan Awardees. In the year 2009, 31 people received Padma Bhushan Award. As of 2017, 7 people have received Padma Bhushan Award. Some of the famous personalities who have received Padma Bhushan Award are A. R. Rahman, Sharmila Tagore, Kamal Haasan, Cho Ramaswamy, Mira Nair, Anita Desai, Mary Kom and Pullela Gopichand.
