The Indian honours system is the system of awards given to individuals for a variety of services to the

Republic of India India, officially the Republic of India, is a country in South Asia. It is the seventh-largest country by area; the most populous country since 2023; and, since its independence in 1947, the world's most populous democracy. Bounded by ...

. The categories of awards are as follows:

Civilian awards

Bharat Ratna

Bharat Ratna The Bharat Ratna (; ) is the highest Indian honours system, civilian award of the Republic of India. Instituted on 2 January 1954, the award is conferred in recognition of "exceptional service/performance of the highest order", without distin ...

("Jewel of India"), the highest civilian award of India, was instituted in the year 1954. Any person without distinction of race, occupation, position, gender or religion is eligible for this award. It is awarded in recognition of exceptional service or performance of the highest order in any field of human endeavour. On conferment of the award, the recipient receives a ''Sanad'' (certificate) signed by the President and a medallion.

Padma awards

Padma Awards were instituted in the year 1954. Except for brief interruptions during the years 1978 to 1979 and 1993 to 1997, these awards have been announced every year on

Republic Day Republic Day is the name of a holiday in several countries to commemorate the day when they became republics. List January 1 January in Slovak Republic The day of creation of Slovak republic. A national holiday since 1993. Officially calle ...

. The award is given in three categories: Padma Vibhushan, Padma Bhushan and Padma Shri, in decreasing order of precedence. * Padma Vibhushan Ribbon

Padma Vibhushan The Padma Vibhushan ( , lit. "Lotus Grandeur") is the second-highest civilian award of the Republic of India, after the Bharat Ratna. Instituted on 2 January 1954, the award is given for "exceptional and distinguished service". All persons w ...

is awarded for "exceptional and distinguished service". The Padma Vibhushan ("Great Lotus Decoration") is the second-highest civilian award in India. * Padma Bhushan Ribbon

Padma Bhushan The Padma Bhushan (IAST: ''Padma Bhūṣaṇa'', lit. 'Lotus Decoration') is the third-highest civilian award in the Republic of India, preceded by the Bharat Ratna and the Padma Vibhushan and followed by the Padma Shri. Instituted on 2 Januar ...

is awarded for "distinguished service of a high order". The Padma Bhushan ("Lotus Decoration") is the third-highest civilian award in India. * Padma Shri Ribbon

Padma Shri The Padma Shri (IAST: ''padma śrī'', lit. 'Lotus Honour'), also spelled Padma Shree, is the fourth-highest Indian honours system, civilian award of the Republic of India, after the Bharat Ratna, the Padma Vibhushan and the Padma Bhushan. In ...

is awarded for "distinguished service". The Padma Shri ("

Noble A noble is a member of the nobility. Noble may also refer to: Places Antarctica * Noble Glacier, King George Island * Noble Nunatak, Marie Byrd Land * Noble Peak, Wiencke Island * Noble Rocks, Graham Land Australia * Noble Island, Gr ...

Lotus") is the fourth-highest civilian award in India. Unlike national honours, the Padma awards do not include cash allowances, benefits, or special concessions in rail/air travel. The

Supreme Court of India The Supreme Court of India is the supreme judiciary of India, judicial authority and the supreme court, highest court of the Republic of India. It is the final Appellate court, court of appeal for all civil and criminal cases in India. It also ...

, Balaji Raghavan v. Union of India, (1996) while the

and the Padma awards do not come under the definition of "titles" under Article 18 of Fundamental Rights in India, no titles or honorifics are associated with the Bharat Ratna or any of the Padma awards; awardees cannot use them or their initials as suffixes, prefixes or pre- and post-nominals attached to the awardee's name. This includes any such use on letterheads, invitation cards, posters, books etc. In the case of any misuse, the awardee will forfeit the award, and he or she is cautioned against any such misuse upon receiving the honour. * The decoration comprises a ''sanad'' (certificate) issued under the hand and seal of the President and a medal. * The recipients are also given a replica of the medal, which they can wear during any ceremonial/State functions etc., if they desire. * A commemorative brochure giving out brief details in respect of each award winner is also released on the day of the investiture ceremony.

Selection process

These awards seek to recognize work of any distinction, and is given for distinguished and exceptional achievements/service in all fields of activities/disciplines, such as art, literature and education, sports, medicine, social work, science and engineering, public affairs, civil service, trade and industry, etc. All persons without distinction of race, occupation, position or sex are eligible for these awards. In 2015, the government decided to end the practice of ministers recommending names for Padma awards and replaced it with any Indian citizen recommending a person for Padma awards online. The government said that this was done with the belief that every citizen has something to contribute to the nation and that contribution should be integrated with the country's growth. Accordingly, several hitherto unknown citizens were awarded Padma awards in 2017. The role of the state governments was also minimised.

Annulment of awards

While there are no specific criteria for withdrawing a Padma award, the

President of India The president of India (ISO 15919, ISO: ) is the head of state of the Republic of India. The president is the nominal head of the executive, the first citizen of the country, and the commander-in-chief, supreme commander of the Indian Armed ...

, per the awards' statutes, may cancel and annul any award in the case of any misconduct committed by the recipient. At least three awards of the Padma Shri have been so annulled, twice in 1958 for recipients residing in the state of Punjab and once in 1974 for a recipient residing in the state of Gujarat.

Military awards

Since 11 July 2019, the Indian Army allows close relatives of deceased military personnel to wear their medals on the right side of the chest while attending homage ceremonies at war memorials, cemeteries and funerals.Indian Army allows next of kin to wear medals of late ex-servicemen during homage ceremonies
India Today, 23 July 2019.

Wartime gallantry awards

Established on 26 January 1950 with retrospective effect from 15 August 1947. * Param-Vir-Chakra-ribbon

Param Vir Chakra The Param Vir Chakra (PVC) is India's highest Awards and Decorations of the Indian Armed Forces, military decoration, awarded for displaying distinguished acts of valour during wartime. Param Vir Chakra translates roughly as the "Wheel of Supre ...

– Highest-military award in India. Awarded for national bravery in the presence of the enemy. This is the equivalent of the

Victoria Cross The Victoria Cross (VC) is the highest and most prestigious decoration of the Orders, decorations, and medals of the United Kingdom, British decorations system. It is awarded for valour "in the presence of the enemy" to members of the British ...

, which was last conferred on Indians in

World War II World War II or the Second World War (1 September 1939 – 2 September 1945) was a World war, global conflict between two coalitions: the Allies of World War II, Allies and the Axis powers. World War II by country, Nearly all of the wo ...

. *

Maha Vir Chakra – Maha Vir Chakra is the second-highest military decoration in India and is awarded for acts of conspicuous gallantry in the presence of the enemy, whether on land, at sea or in the air. * Vir Chakra ribbon bar

Vir Chakra – Third in precedence in the awards for wartime gallantry.

Peacetime gallantry awards

Ashoka Chakra * Kirti Chakra * Shaurya Chakra These awards were instituted on 4 January 1952. These awards were renamed on 27 January 1967 as Ashoka Chakra, Kirti Chakra and Shaurya Chakra from Ashoka Chakra (Class I), Ashoka Chakra (Class II) and Ashoka Chakra (Class III) respectively.

Wartime/peacetime service awards

Sena Medal The Sena Medal () is awarded to members of the Indian army, of all ranks, "for such individual acts of exceptional devotion to duty or courage as have special significance for the Army." Awards may be made posthumously and a bar is authorized for ...

(

Army An army, ground force or land force is an armed force that fights primarily on land. In the broadest sense, it is the land-based military branch, service branch or armed service of a nation or country. It may also include aviation assets by ...

) *

Nau Sena Medal (

Navy A navy, naval force, military maritime fleet, war navy, or maritime force is the military branch, branch of a nation's armed forces principally designated for naval warfare, naval and amphibious warfare; namely, lake-borne, riverine, littoral z ...

) *

Vayu Sena Medal The Vayu Sena Medal () is a military decoration, usually awarded in peacetime for a job well done in the Indian Air Force. However, it has been granted during times of conflict for acts of gallantry in the face of enemy, though not in the same n ...

(

Air Force An air force in the broadest sense is the national military branch that primarily conducts aerial warfare. More specifically, it is the branch of a nation's armed services that is responsible for aerial warfare as distinct from an army aviati ...

)

Wartime distinguished awards

Sarvottam Yudh Seva Medal * Uttam Yudh Seva Medal ribbon

Uttam Yudh Seva Medal * Yudh Seva Medal ribbon

Yudh Seva Medal The Yudh Seva Medal () is one of India's military decorations for distinguished service during wartime. It is awarded for a high degree of distinguished service in an operational context, which includes times of war, conflict, or hostilities and ma ...

Peacetime distinguished awards

Param Vishisht Seva Medal Param Vishisht Seva Medal (PVSM) (International Alphabet of Sanskrit Transliteration, IAST: , ) is a Military awards and decorations, military award of India. It is the highest peacetime medal of the Indian Armed Forces, and is awarded for "dist ...

Ati Vishisht Seva Medal Ati Vishisht Seva Medal (AVSM, ) is a military award of India given to recognize "distinguished service of an exceptional order" to all ranks of the armed forces. The award is a peacetime equivalent of Uttam Yuddh Seva Medal, which is a Wartime D ...

Vishisht Seva Medal The Vishisht Seva Medal (VSM, ) is a decoration of the Indian Armed Forces. It is awarded to recognize "distinguished service of a high order" to all ranks of the Indian Armed Forces. From 1980, the Yudh Seva Medal was introduced to recognize ex ...

They were established on January 26, 1960.RMX3870.IS.0.600 X01

Police awards

* President's Police Medal for Gallantry (PPMG) * IND Police Medal for Gallantry

Police Medal for Gallantry (GM) * President's Medal for Distinguished Service (PSM) * Medal for Meritorious Service (MSM)

Other national awards

* Prime Minister's Award for Excellence in Public Administration is awarded to acknowledge, recognize and reward the extraordinary and innovative work done by the Indian Civil Servants. * Subhash Chandra Bose Aapda Prabandhan Puraskar is an Indian National Award for disaster management those who served selfless service for the country. * Sardar Patel National Unity Award is awarded to persons who make contributions to promote national unity and integrity.
/ref> * Champions of Change (award), Champions of Change by

Swachh Bharat Mission Swachh Bharat Mission (SBM), Swachh Bharat Abhiyan, or Clean India Mission is a country-wide campaign initiated by the Government of India on 2 October 2014 to eliminate open defecation and improve solid waste management and to create Open Defe ...

and

NITI Aayog The NITI Aayog (; abbreviation for National Institution for Transforming India) serves as the apex public policy think tank of the Government of the Republic of India, and the nodal agency tasked with catalyzing economic development, and foste ...

Women

* Nari Shakti Puraskar. It was instituted in 1999 under the title of ''Stree Shakti Puraskar'' by the Government of India.

Children

* Pradhan Mantri Rashtriya Bal Puraskar (previously ''National Children's Award for Exceptional Achievement) * National Bal Shree Honour

Science and technology awards

* Rashtriya Vigyan Puraskar * Shanti Swarup Bhatnagar Prize for Science and Technology

Medicine awards

* Dr. B. C. Roy Award – Highest award in the field of medicine. Instituted by the

Medical Council of India The Medical Council of India (MCI) was a statutory body for establishing uniform and high standards of medical education in India until its dissolution on 25 September 2020 when it was replaced by National Medical Commission. The Council grante ...

, presented by the

. Instituted in 1962 by the Government of India.

Literature awards

Jnanpith Award The Jnanpith Award is the oldest and the highest Indian literary award presented annually by the Bharatiya Jnanpith to an author for their "outstanding contribution towards literature". Instituted in 1961, the award is bestowed only on Indian ...

is the highest literary honour in literature of

India India, officially the Republic of India, is a country in South Asia. It is the List of countries and dependencies by area, seventh-largest country by area; the List of countries by population (United Nations), most populous country since ...

Sahitya Akademi Award The Sahitya Akademi Award is a literary honour in India, which the Sahitya Akademi, India's National Academy of Letters, annually confers on writers of the most outstanding books of literary merit published in any of the 22 languages of the ...

* Sahitya Akademi Fellowship * Saraswati Samman * Vyas Samman * Bhasha Samman * Sahitya Akademi Translation Prize * Ananda Coomarswamy Fellowship * Premchand Fellowship

Sports awards

* National Sports Awards ** Major Dhyan Chand Khel Ratna Award **

Arjuna Award The Arjuna Award, officially known as Arjuna Awards given for Outstanding Performance in Sports and Games, is the second-highest sporting honour of India, the highest being the Major Dhyan Chand Khel Ratna Award. The award is named after Arjun ...

** Dhyan Chand Award ** Dronacharya award ** Maulana Abul Kalam Azad Trophy ** Rashtriya Khel Protsahan Puruskar

Adventure awards

* Tenzing Norgay National Adventure Award

Cinema and arts

National Film Awards The National Film Awards are awards for artistic and technical merit given for "Excellence within the Cinema of India, Indian film industry". Established in 1954, it has been administered, along with the International Film Festival of India ...

National Film Development Corporation of India The National Film Development Corporation of India (NFDC) based in Mumbai is the central agency established in 1975, to encourage high quality Indian cinema. It functions in areas of film financing, production and distribution and under the Min ...

Dadasaheb Phalke Award The Dadasaheb Phalke Award is India's highest Film award, award in the field of cinema, given by the Government of India and presented annually at the National Film Awards. The recipient is honoured for their "outstanding contribution to the ...

International Film Festival of India The International Film Festival of India (IFFI), founded in 1952, is an annual film festival currently held in Goa, on the western coast of India. The festival aims at providing a common platform for the cinemas of the world to project the excel ...

Performing arts

Sangeet Natak Akademi Sangeet Natak Akademi (The National Academy of Music, Dance and Drama in English language, English) is the national level academy for performing arts set up by the Government of India. It is an autonomous body of the Ministry of Culture (India) ...

is the national academy for music, dance, and drama, and is considered the apex body for performing arts in India. *

Sangeet Natak Akademi Award Sangeet Natak Akademi Award (IAST: Saṅgīta Nāṭaka Akādamī Puraskāra), also known as the Akademi Puraskar, is an award given by the Sangeet Natak Akademi, India's National Academy of Music, Dance & Drama. It is the highest Indian recogni ...

* Sangeet Natak Akademi Fellowship *

Ustad Bismillah Khan Yuva Puraskar Ustad Bismillah Khan Yuva Puraskar is an annual Indian award given by the Sangeet Natak Akademi to outstanding artists under 40 who have demonstrated talent in the fields of music, dance and drama. The award is intended to provide national rec ...

Particular awards

Home Guard and Civil Defence awards

*President's Home Guard and Civil Defence Medal for Gallantry *Home Guard and Civil Defence Medal for Gallantry *President's Home Guard and Civil Defence for Distinguished Service *Home Guard and Civil Defence Medal for Meritorious Service

Fire Services awards

*President's Fire Services Medal for Gallantry *Fire Services Medal for Gallantry *President's Fire Services Medal for Distinguished Service *Fire Services Medal for Meritorious Service

Correctional Services awards

*President's Correctional Services Medal for Gallantry *Correctional Services Medal for Gallantry *President's Correctional Services Medal for Distinguished Service *Correction Service Medal for Meritorious Service

Coast Guard awards

* President's Tatrakshak Medal for Gallantry * Tatrakshak Medal for Gallantry * President's Tatrakshak Medal for Distinguished Service * Tatrakshak Medal for Meritorious Service

Bravery

* National Bravery Award **Bharat Award **Sanjay Chopra Award **Geeta Chopra Award **Kritin Bhardwaj Award **Bapu Gaidhani Award *Jeevan Raksha Padak Series of Awards ** IND Sarvottam Jeevan Raksha Padak ribbon

IND Sarvottam Jeevan Raksha Padak ribbon

Sarvottam Jeevan Raksha Padak ** IND Uttam Jeevan Raksha Padak ribbon

Uttam Jeevan Raksha Padak ** IND Jeevan Raksha Padak ribbon

Jeevan Raksha Padak

Corporate Awards

National Corporate Social Responsibility Awards are given by the

. These awards have been instituted by the

Ministry of Corporate Affairs The Ministry of Corporate Affairs is an Indian government ministry primarily concerned with administration of the Companies Act 2013, the Companies Act 1956, the Limited Liability Partnership Act, 2008, and the Insolvency and Bankruptcy Code, 2 ...

. Awards are given in 20 different sub-categories.

Overseas Indian Awards

Pravasi Bharatiya Samman is awarded to

Overseas Indians Overseas Indians (ISO: ), officially Non-Resident Indians (NRIs) and People of Indian Origin (PIOs) are people of Indian descent who reside or originate outside of India (Including those that were directly under the British Raj). According to t ...

for excellence.

References

External links

Current orders, decorations and medals of India
{{DEFAULTSORT:Indian honours system India and the Commonwealth of Nations