Padma Awards 2025: Legacy, Categories, List Of Padma Awardees
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The Padma Awards 2025 were announced on January 25, 2025, celebrating excellence and outstanding contributions in various fields these prestigious civilian honours, established in 1954, include three categories: Padma Vibhushan (for exceptional service), Padma Bhushan and Padma Shri. For 2025, the President of India has approved 139 Padma Awards, including one duo case, where the award is counted as one, this year’s list includes 7 Padma Vibhushan, 19 Padma Bhushan, and 113 Padma Shri awards. Of the awardees, 23 are women, while 10 are categorised as Foreigners, NRIs, PIOs, and OCIs. Additionally, 13 awards have been given posthumously to honour individuals for their exceptional achievements.
The Awards are presented by the President of India usually in March/April every year where the awardees are presented a Sanad (Certificate) signed by the President and a medallion. The names of the awardees were published in the Gazette of India on the day of the presentation ceremony.
What is the Padma Awards 2025?
The Padma Awards is one of India’s highest civilian honours and is presented annually by the Government of India to recognise exceptional contributions in various disciplines, including art, literature, science, public service, sports, and trade and industry. The Padma Awards are categorised into three distinctions: Padma Vibhushan, Padma Bhushan, and Padma Shri. The President of India confers these awards on Republic Day each year.
Categories of the Padma Awards
The Padma Awards consist of three distinct categories:
Padma Vibhushan—This is the highest of the three awards and is given for exceptional and distinguished service in any field.
Padma Bhushan—This award is given for distinguished service of high order in any field.
Padma Shri – The Padma Shri is awarded for distinguished service in any field, recognising achievements that may not be as high-order but are significant in their own right.
Difference between Padma Vibhushan, Padma Bhushan, and Padma Shri
Padma Vibhushan
Padma Bhushan
Padma Shri
Padma Vibhushan is the second-highest civilian honour of India.
Padma Bhushan is the third-highest civilian award in the country.
Padma Shri is the fourth-highest civilian honour of the country.
It is awarded for exceptional and distinguished service.
It is awarded for distinguished service of a high order.
It is awarded for distinguished service.
Pahela Varg (Class I) was its previous name.
Dusra Varg (Class II) was its previous name.
Teesra Varg (Class III) was its previous name.
In 1954, six people were honoured with the award.
In 1954, twenty-three people were honoured with the award.
In 1954, seventeen people were honoured with the award.
Eligibility Criteria
Any person without distinction of race, occupation, position or sex is eligible for these Awards. However, serving Government servants, including those working with PSUs, except Doctors and Scientists, are not eligible for these Awards. The Award seeks to recognize works of distinction and is given for distinguished and exceptional achievements/service in all fields of activities/disciplines. An illustrative list of the fields is as under:
Art – Includes Music, Painting, Sculpture, Photography, Cinema, Theatre, etc.
Social Work – Includes social and charitable services in the areas of affordable healthcare and education, and several other contributions to community projects like Environment, Sanitation, etc.
Public Affairs- Includes work in the area of Law, Public Life, Politics, etc.
Science & Engineering – Includes Space Engineering, Nuclear Science, Information Technology, Research & Development in Science & its allied subjects, etc.
Trade & Industry – Includes banking, economic activities, management, trading and business in the areas of manufacturing, hospitality, technology, textiles, accounting, finance, tourism, etc.
Medicine – Includes medical research and distinction/specialization in Allopathy, Ayurveda, Homeopathy, Siddha, Naturopathy, etc.
Literature & Education – Includes promotion of literacy and education, education reforms, teaching, journalism, literature & poetry, authors, etc.
Civil Service – Includes distinction/excellence in administration etc. by Government Servants
Sports – Includes Sports, Athletics, Mountaineering, promotion of sports, etc.
Others – Includes fields that are not covered in the above-mentioned fields. This may include Spirituality, Yoga, wildlife protection/conservation, Culinary, Agriculture, grassroots innovations, Archaeology, Architecture, etc.
Posthumous Cases: The Award is not conferred posthumously. However, in highly deserving and rare cases, the Government could consider giving an Award posthumously.
Eligibility for a Higher Category of Padma Award
A higher category of Padma Award can be conferred on a person only where at least five years have elapsed since the conferment of the earlier Padma Award. However, an exception can be made by the Awards Committee in cases of rare and exceptional achievements.
Selection Process
All nominations/recommendations received for Padma Awards are placed before the Padma Awards Committee which is constituted by the Prime Minister every year. No Award is conferred except on the recommendation of the Awards Committee. The recommendations of the Committee are submitted to the Prime Minister and the President of India for approval.
Padma Awards 2025: Complete List of Awardees
The Padma Awards 2025 saw several relevant figures being honoured for their remarkable contributions. Below is the list of recipients under each category:
Padma Vibhushan Awardees 2025
Shri Duvvur Nageshwar Reddy – Medicine, Telangana
Justice (Retd.) Shri Jagdish Singh Khehar – Public Affairs, Chandigarh
Smt. Kumudini Rajnikant Lakhia – Art, Gujarat
Shri Lakshminarayana Subramaniam – Art, Karnataka
Shri M. T. Vasudevan Nair (Posthumous) – Literature and Education, Kerala
Shri Osamu Suzuki (Posthumous) – Trade and Industry, Japan
Smt. Sharda Sinha (Posthumous) – Art, Bihar
Padma Bhushan Awardees 2025
Shri A Surya Prakash – Literature and Education (Journalism), Karnataka
Shri Anant Nag – Art, Karnataka
Shri Bibek Debroy (Posthumous) – Literature and Education, NCT Delhi
The Padma Awards 2025 honours individuals for their exceptional skills and contributions by highlighting the diverse talents contributing to India’s development in every field. These awards showcase excellence across a variety of sectors and grab the attention of unsung heroes who might not otherwise receive recognition for their hard work. The recognition serves as an encouragement for others to come forward for greatness in their fields.
Khushi Bhanushali
Khushi, a journalism post graduate who likes to write and serve it to an audience appropriately being a neutral. Join her on this journey and let's together spread awareness and knowledge.