Padma Awards

<ul> <li> <p data-path-to-node="1,0,0"><b data-path-to-node="1,0,0" data-index-in-node="0">Started In:</b> <b data-path-to-node="1,0,0" data-index-in-node="12">1954</b> (along with the Bharat Ratna).</p> </li> <li> <p data-path-to-node="1,1,0"><b data-path-to-node="1,1,0" data-index-in-node="0">Announced On:</b> <b data-path-to-node="1,1,0" data-index-in-node="14">January 25 every year</b> (the eve of Republic Day).</p> </li> <li> <p data-path-to-node="1,2,0"><b data-path-to-node="1,2,0" data-index-in-node="0">Presented By:</b> The <b data-path-to-node="1,2,0" data-index-in-node="18">President of India</b> at Rashtrapati Bhavan (usually in March or April).</p> </li> <li> <p data-path-to-node="1,3,0"><b data-path-to-node="1,3,0" data-index-in-node="0">Three Tiers:</b></p> <ol start="1" data-path-to-node="1,3,1"> <li> <p data-path-to-node="1,3,1,0,0"><i data-path-to-node="1,3,1,0,0" data-index-in-node="0">Padma Vibhushan</i> (Second-highest civilian award)</p> </li> <li> <p data-path-to-node="1,3,1,1,0"><i data-path-to-node="1,3,1,1,0" data-index-in-node="0">Padma Bhushan</i> (Third-highest)</p> </li> <li> <p data-path-to-node="1,3,1,2,0"><i data-path-to-node="1,3,1,2,0" data-index-in-node="0">Padma Shri</i> (Fourth-highest)</p> </li> </ol> </li> <li> <p data-path-to-node="1,4,0"><b data-path-to-node="1,4,0" data-index-in-node="0">Max Limit:</b> Maximum <b data-path-to-node="1,4,0" data-index-in-node="19">120 awards</b> can be given per year (excluding posthumous awards and foreigners).</p> </li> <li> <p data-path-to-node="1,5,0"><b data-path-to-node="1,5,0" data-index-in-node="0">Exclusions:</b> Serving government employees are <b data-path-to-node="1,5,0" data-index-in-node="45">not eligible</b> (except Doctors and Scientists).</p> </li> <li> <p data-path-to-node="1,6,0"><b data-path-to-node="1,6,0" data-index-in-node="0">Not a Title:</b> Winners <b data-path-to-node="1,6,0" data-index-in-node="21">cannot</b> use the award name as a prefix or suffix to their name (e.g., writing "Padma Shri [Name]" is legally invalid).</p> </li> <li> <p data-path-to-node="1,7,0"><b data-path-to-node="1,7,0" data-index-in-node="0">Nomination Process:</b> Open to the public ("People's Padma") via an online portal between May 15 and September 15.</p> </li> </ul>