Pravasi Bharatiya Samman Award (PBSA) is one of the most prestigious Indian civilian awards for the Non-Resident Indians (NRI). It is considered to be the highest honor bestowed on Indians residing abroad. The award was constituted by the Ministry of Overseas Indian Affairs in the year 2004, with a view to honor exceptionally successful and meritorious Indians residing in foreign countries. The awardees receive the award because of their extraordinary contributions to their respective fields/professions. They receive the award on the occasion of the Pravasi Bharatiya Divas Conventions, which is being conducted yearly, since 2003. More specifically, on 9th of January, which coincides with the Pravasi Bharatiya Divas, the award is given at a formal ceremony organized by the Ministry of Overseas Indian Affairs. The awardees receive a bilingual Sanad (certificate) with the seal of the President of India, a citation and a gold medallion, as part of the award. The Government of India presents the award every year. More specifically, the President of India presents the award to the recipients. However, the Vice-President or the Prime Minister of India can also present the award. Apart from the Non-Resident Indians, a person of Indian origin or an organization or institution established and run by the Non-Resident Indians or persons of Indian origin can also receive the award.
Eligibility Criteria for Pravasi Bharatiya Samman Award
There are certain criteria for a person or an organization for receiving the Pravasi Bharatiya Samman Award. They are -
•Making significant contribution towards better understanding of India and support to India`s causes and concerns in a tangible way.
•Making significant contribution for the welfare of Diaspora.
•Notable contribution in philanthropic and charitable work and for social and humanitarian causes in India and abroad.
•Making significant contribution in building closer links between India and its Diaspora in the economic, cultural and scientific fields.
•Eminence in one`s field and outstanding work, which has enhanced India`s prestige in the country of residence, and
•Eminence in one`s skills, which has enhanced India`s prestige in that country (for non-professional workers).
Members of Pravasi Bharatiya Samman Award Committee
Different authorities in India and abroad nominate deserving persons or organizations or institutions for the award. The authorities include the heads of Indian Diplomatic Missions, the chairman of the department related Parliamentary Standing Committee of the Ministry of Overseas Indian Affairs, the awardees of Pravasi Bharatiya Samman Award and the prominent overseas associations with nation-wide characters, as may be decided by the Ministry of Overseas Indian Affairs. After collecting the names of the nominees, a committee of officers constituted by the Ministry of Overseas Indian Affairs shortlists the recommendations, with a view to facilitate the work of the Jury-cum-Awards Committee.
Jury-cum-Awards Committee: Jury-cum-Awards Committee consists of the members like the Vice President of India (as the Chairman), the Minister of Overseas Indian Affairs (as the Vice-Chairman) and the Principal Secretary to the Prime Minister, the Home Secretary and the Foreign Secretary (as the members). Apart from them, 5 other members are nominated by the Prime Minister and the Secretary.
The Jury-cum-Awards Committee submits the recommendations to the Prime Minister and the President for their approval. The Prime Minister and the President of India give the final approval to the names of the award winners and the names are published in the Gazette of India prior to the day of presentation of the award. The award is usually not given posthumously, except in rare cases, where the person had died within a year preceding the announcement of the awards. The President has the power of canceling the award at any time.
Pravasi Bharatiya Samman Awardees
According to the rules and regulations set up for the Pravasi Bharatiya Samman Award, the recipients of the award can continue to be considered for Padma Awards namely, Padma Shri, Padma Bhushan and Padma Vibhushan. The Padma Awardees are also eligible for Pravasi Bharatiya Samman Award. Few of the notable and distinguished personalities who have been honored with the Pravasi Bharatiya Samman Award are mentioned below:
Pravasi Bharatiya Samman Awardees-2007
•Gopal Raju
Lord Diljit Rana
•Dave Sukhdip Singh Hayer
•Dr. Madhavan Anirudhan
•Billy Nair
•Nirmal K. Sinha
•Tan Sri Dato K.R. Somasundram
•Sir Moti Tikaram
•Dr. Abdool Magid Karim Vakil
Pravasi Bharatiya Samman Awardees-2008
•Dr. Ravi Pillai
•Dr. Navinchandra Ramgoolam
•P. S. Mani
•Neville Joseph Roach
•Lord Karan Bilimoria
•National Council of Indian Culture
•Dr. Thomas Abraham
•Lord Karan Bilimori
•Krishnamurthy Kumar
•Bicky Chakraborty
Pravasi Bharatiya Samman Awardees-2009
•Ram Labhaya Lakhina
•Sumit Arora
•Soman Baby
•Deepak Obhrai
•Tan Sri G. Vadiveloo
•Angidi Veeriah Chettiar
•Ylias Akbaraly
•P.N.C. Menon
Pravasi Bharatiya Samman Awardees-2010
•Mohinder Singh Bhullar
•Yanktesh Permal Reddy
•Ryuko Hira
•Dr. Ruby Umesh Pawankar
•Suresh Kumar Virmani
•Pravin Jamnadas Gordhan
•Tholisiah Perumal Naidoo
•Rajni Kanabar
•Deepak Mittal
Pravasi Bharatiya Samman Awardees-2017
•Dr. Gorur Krishna Harinath
•Rajasekharan Pillai Valavoor Kizhakkathil
•Antwerp Indian Association
•Nazeer Ahamed Mohamed Zackiriah
•Mukund Bhikhubhai Purohit
•Nalinkumar Sumanlal Kothari
•Vinod Chandra Patel
