Padma awards 2020
- President Ram Nath Kovind presented the Padma awards to 119 recipients — some of them posthumously — for the year 2020 at Rashtrapati Bhavan.
- The list comprises seven Padma Vibhushans, 10 Padma Bhushans and 102 Padma Shri awards. Of the total awardees, 29 were women and one was transgender, while 16 were posthumous awardees.
About Padma awards
- The Padma Awards are announced annually on Republic Day (26th January).
- It was instituted in 1954.
- It is one of the highest civilian honours of India.
- A higher category of Padma award can be conferred on a person only where a period of at least five years has elapsed since conferment of the earlier Padma award.
- It seeks to recognize achievements in all fields of activities or disciplines where an element of public service is involved.
- The Awards are given in various disciplines/ fields of activities, viz.- art, social work, public affairs, science and engineering, trade and industry, medicine, literature and education, sports, civil service etc.
- The Awards are conferred on the recommendations made by the Padma Awards Committee, which is constituted by the Prime Minister every year.
- The awards are presented by the President of India usually in the month of March/April every year.
Categories of Awards
- The Awards are given in three categories:
- Padma Vibhushan (for exceptional and distinguished service)
- Padma Bhushan (distinguished service of higher-order)
- Padma Shri (distinguished service)
- Padma Vibhushan is highest in the hierarchy of Padma Awards followed by Padma Bhushan and Padma Shri.