Padma Shri

{{Short description|Fourth highest civilian award of India}} {{Use Indian English|date=November 2020}} {{Use dmy dates|date=August 2022}} {{Infobox civilian award | name = Padma Shri | image = Padma Shri India IIIe Klasse.jpg | alt = Padma Shri medal suspended from its riband | image_size = 100px | type = National Civilian | country = {{flag|India}} | established = {{start date and age|df=yes|1954}} | firstawarded = 1954 | presenter = <br/>30px|State Emblem of India<br/>Government of India | previous = Padma Vibhushan "Teesra Varg" (Class III) | obverse = A centrally located lotus flower is embossed and the text "Padma" written in Devanagari script is placed above and the text "Shri" is placed below the lotus. | reverse = A platinum State Emblem of India placed in the centre with the national motto of India, "Satyameva Jayate" (Truth alone triumphs) in Devanagari Script | ribbon = 100px | higher = 35px Kirti Chakra (military)<br />35px Padma Bhushan (civilian) | lower = 35px Sarvottam Jeevan Raksha Padak | lastawarded = 2025 | total_awarded = 3448 | website = {{URL|https://padmaawards.gov.in}} }}

The '''Padma Shri''' (IAST: ''padma śrī'', lit. 'Lotus Honour'), also spelled '''Padma Shree''', is the fourth-highest civilian award of the Republic of India, after the Bharat Ratna, the Padma Vibhushan and the Padma Bhushan. Instituted on 2 January 1954, the award is conferred in recognition of "distinguished contribution in various spheres of activity including the arts, education, industry, literature, science, acting, medicine, social service and public affairs". It is awarded by the Government of India every year on India's Republic Day.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://mha.nic.in/sites/upload_files/mha/files/Scheme-PadmaAwards-050514.pdf |title=Padma award's schema|publisher=Ministry of Home Affairs |access-date=13 August 2014}}</ref>

==History==

[[File:Padmasree award certificate.jpeg|thumb|upright|Padma Shri certificate during the presidency of K. R. Narayanan awarded to Telugu journalist Turlapaty Kutumba Rao]]

Padma Awards were instituted in 1954 to be awarded to citizens of India in recognition of their distinguished contribution in various spheres of activity including the arts, education, industry, literature, science, acting, medicine, social service and public affairs. It has also been awarded to some distinguished individuals who were not citizens of India but did contribute in various ways to India.

The selection criteria have been criticised in some quarters with the claim that many highly deserving artists have been left out in order to favour certain individuals.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.outlookindia.com/article.aspx?283756 |title=Padma's Easy Slim Zone | Vrinda Gopinath |publisher=Outlookindia.com |access-date=10 July 2013}}</ref><ref>{{cite news|title=Advani backs Merchant on Padma awards selection criticism|url=https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/sports/more-sports/snooker/billiards/Advani-backs-Merchant-on-Padma-awards-selection-criticism/tpoint_articleshow/5531225.cms|access-date=1 November 2017|work=The Times of India|date=3 February 2010}}</ref> India has now created an online nomination platform for the common citizens to recommend the nomination for the annually given civilian "Padma" awards.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.padmaawards.gov.in/SelectionGuidelines.aspx|title=Padma Awards Online Nomination|website=padmaawards.gov.in|access-date=28 April 2018|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180916164054/https://www.padmaawards.gov.in/SelectionGuidelines.aspx|archive-date=16 September 2018|url-status=dead}}</ref>

On its obverse, the words "Padma", meaning lotus in Sanskrit, and "Shri", a Sanskrit-derived honorific equivalent to 'Mr.' or 'Ms.' (i.e., "Noble One in Blossom"), appear in Devanagari above and below a lotus flower. The geometrical pattern on either side is in burnished bronze. All embossing is in white gold.

{{as of|2025}}, 3448 people have received the award. In 2025, 113 people received the Padma Shri.<ref>{{Cite web |date=25 Jan 2025 |title=Padma Awards 2025 |url=https://www.mha.gov.in/sites/default/files/Padma_Awards2025_25012025.pdf |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20250125174835/https://www.mha.gov.in/sites/default/files/Padma_Awards2025_25012025.pdf |archive-date=25 January 2025 |access-date=2025-02-08 |website=www.mha.gov.in |url-status=live }}</ref>

==Refusals== {{See also|List of people who have declined or renounced Indian honours and decorations}}

Several intended recipients, including musician Hemanta Kumar Mukherjee, sitar player Vilayat Khan,<ref name="refusals">{{cite book|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=wWDnTWrz4O8C&pg=PA411|title=India Today: An Encyclopedia of Life in the Republic|author1=Kaminsky, Arnold P.|author2=Long, Roger D.|publisher=ABC-CLIO|year=2011|isbn=978-0-313-37462-3|page=411|url-status=live|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170921000246/https://books.google.com/books?id=wWDnTWrz4O8C&pg=PA411|archive-date=21 September 2017}}</ref> academic and author Mamoni Raisom Goswami,<ref>{{cite news|url=http://www.thehindu.com/2003/01/19/stories/2003011900271700.htm|title=Artistes' angst |date=19 January 2003|newspaper=The Hindu|access-date=18 June 2018}}{{dead link|date=April 2021|bot=medic}}{{cbignore|bot=medic}}</ref> journalist Kanak Sen Deka<ref name="question_mark"/> and noted Bollywood screenwriter Salim Khan, have declined the Padma Shri for various reasons.<ref>{{cite news|url=https://indianexpress.com/article/india/india-others/salim-khan-declines-padma-shri/|title=Salim Khan declines to receive Padma Shri |date=27 January 2015|access-date=18 June 2018|newspaper=The Indian Express}}</ref> Some intended recipients, such as environmental activist Sunderlal Bahuguna<ref>{{cite news|url=http://www.dailypioneer.com/STATE-EDITIONS/dehradun/noted-activist-sunderlal-bahuguna-turns-90.html|title=Noted activist Sunderlal Bahuguna turns 90 |date=10 January 2017|access-date=18 June 2018|newspaper=The Pioneer}}</ref> and English billiards champion Michael Ferreira,<ref name="question_mark">{{cite news|url=https://www.telegraphindia.com/1050129/asp/nation/story_4310835.asp|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20050313130541/http://www.telegraphindia.com/1050129/asp/nation/story_4310835.asp|url-status=dead|archive-date=13 March 2005|title=Refusal question mark on awards |date=28 January 2005|access-date=18 June 2018|newspaper=The Telegraph – India}}</ref> have refused the honour but have subsequently accepted a more prestigious one such as the Padma Bhushan or Padma Vibhushan. Other individuals, such as film-maker Aribam Syam Sharma,<ref>{{Cite news |first1=Ratnadip |last1=Choudhury |first2=Divyanshu |last2=Dutta Roy |date=3 February 2019 |title=Veteran Manipuri Filmmaker Returns Padma Shri To Protest Citizenship Bill |url=https://www.ndtv.com/india-news/veteran-manipuri-filmmaker-aribam-syam-sharma-returns-2006-padma-shri-award-in-protest-against-citiz-1987613 |work=NDTV |access-date=2 March 2022}}</ref> author Phanishwar Nath 'Renu',<ref>{{cite web |url=http://aura.edu.in/read/cbse/12/14/original/Page-112.html |title=Aura Virtual Campus |access-date=18 June 2018 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160303213503/http://aura.edu.in/read/cbse/12/14/original/Page-112.html |archive-date=3 March 2016 }}</ref> Punjabi author Dalip Kaur Tiwana<ref>{{cite news|url=http://www.tribuneindia.com/news/punjab/punjabi-writer-tiwana-to-return-padma-shri/145837.html|title=Punjabi writer Tiwana to return Padma Shri|date=14 October 2015|access-date=18 June 2018|newspaper=The Tribune|archive-date=18 June 2018|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180618231623/http://www.tribuneindia.com/news/punjab/punjabi-writer-tiwana-to-return-padma-shri/145837.html|url-status=dead}}</ref> and noted poet Jayanta Mahapatra,<ref>{{cite news|url=https://www.hindustantimes.com/books/jayanta-mahapatra-returns-padma-shri-protesting-intolerance/story-JRTZHWq1fjJClaEzoM3SoO.html|title=Jayanta Mahapatra returns Padma Shri protesting 'intolerance' |date=23 November 2015|access-date=18 June 2018|newspaper=The Hindustan Times}}</ref> have returned the honour after initially accepting it.

In 2022, Bengali singer "Gitashri" Sandhya Mukhopadhyay, aged 90, turned down her offer for the Padma Shri award on the eve of the 73rd Republic Day of India. As per media reports, the veteran singer turned down the offer since she believes that her career spanning eight decades deserved a higher award than the Padma Shri. "Padma Shri is more deserving for a junior artiste", her daughter said.<ref>{{cite news|url=https://www.ndtv.com/india-news/veteran-singer-sandhya-mukherjee-refuses-padma-shri-says-more-deserving-for-junior-artiste-2730358|title=Padma Shri More Deserving For Junior Artiste |date=26 January 2022|access-date=26 January 2022}}</ref> Based on her refusal, her name was not included in the Padma awardees list for 2022.

==Awards by decade== * List of Padma Shri award recipients (1954–1959) * List of Padma Shri award recipients (1960–1969) * List of Padma Shri award recipients (1970–1979) * List of Padma Shri award recipients (1980–1989) * List of Padma Shri award recipients (1990–1999) * List of Padma Shri award recipients (2000–2009) * List of Padma Shri award recipients (2010–2019) * List of Padma Shri award recipients (2020–2029) {{clear|right}}

==Awards by field/occupation==

==References== {{Reflist}}

==External links== * {{Official website|http://www.padmaawards.gov.in/}} * {{cite web|title=Awards & Medals|url=http://www.mha.nic.in/awards_medals|publisher=Ministry of Home Affairs (India)|date=14 September 2015|access-date=22 October 2015|url-status=dead|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20151007054538/http://www.mha.nic.in/awards_medals|archive-date=7 October 2015}} *{{cite web|title=MINISTRY OF HOME AFFAIRS (Public Section) Padma Awards Directory (1954–2017)|publisher=Ministry of Home Affairs|url=http://mha.nic.in/sites/upload_files/mha/files/Year_Wise_main_25042017.pdf|url-status=dead|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170616021314/http://mha.nic.in/sites/upload_files/mha/files/Year_Wise_main_25042017.pdf|archive-date=16 June 2017}}

Category:Awards established in 1954 Category:Civil awards and decorations of India Category:Recipients of the Padma Shri