Padma Vibhushan Facts for Kids

Quick facts for kids

Padma Vibhushan

Presented by

President of India

Country

India

< Padma Vibhushan "Pahla Varg" (Class I)

The Padma Vibhushan is the second-highest civilian award in India. It is given to people for "exceptional and distinguished service." This means they have done something truly amazing and important for the country.

The award was started on January 2, 1954. Anyone can receive it, no matter their background or gender. However, most government workers cannot get this award. Doctors and scientists who work for the government are exceptions. As of 2025, 343 people have received the Padma Vibhushan. This includes people who received it after they passed away, and some who were not citizens of India.

In 2024, five people received the award. These included famous personalities like Vyjayanthimala and Chiranjeevi. In 2025, seven people were honored with the Padma Vibhushan.

How People Receive the Award
History of the Award
What the Medal Looks Like
Images for kids
See also

How People Receive the Award

Who Recommends People?

Each year, from May 1 to September 15, people are recommended for the Padma Vibhushan. These recommendations come from many places. State and union territory governments suggest names. Ministries of the Indian government also make recommendations. Even past winners of the Bharat Ratna and Padma Vibhushan can suggest names. Important people like ministers, chief ministers, governors, and Members of Parliament can also recommend someone. Even regular citizens can suggest names.

The Selection Process

All the recommendations go to the Padma Awards Committee. This committee is put together by the Prime Minister of India. The committee carefully reviews all the names. After their review, they send their suggestions to the Prime Minister and the President of India. The President then gives the final approval.

When Awards Are Announced

The names of the award winners are announced every year on Republic Day. This is a special day in India, celebrated on January 26. The names are also published in The Gazette of India. This is an official government publication. An award is not official until it is published in the Gazette. If an award is ever taken back, that is also published there.

History of the Award

How the Award Began

The Padma Vibhushan was created on January 2, 1954. At first, there were two main civilian awards: the Bharat Ratna (the highest award) and the Padma Vibhushan. The Padma Vibhushan was originally divided into three classes: Class I, Class II, and Class III.

On January 15, 1955, the system changed. The Padma Vibhushan became a single award. Two new awards were created below it: the Padma Bhushan and the Padma Shri.

Times the Award Was Paused

The Padma Vibhushan, along with other civilian awards, was paused twice in its history. The first time was from July 1977 to January 1980. This happened when Morarji Desai became Prime Minister. He thought the awards were not fair. When Indira Gandhi became Prime Minister again in 1980, the awards were brought back.

The awards were paused again in mid-1992. This time, it was because some people went to court. They argued that these awards were like "titles." The Constitution of India says that the government should not give out titles. However, on December 15, 1995, the Supreme Court of India decided that the Bharat Ratna and Padma awards are not titles. So, the awards were started again.

First Recipients and Refusals

The very first people to receive the Padma Vibhushan in 1954 were Satyendra Nath Bose, Nandalal Bose, Zakir Husain, Balasaheb Gangadhar Kher, V. K. Krishna Menon, and Jigme Dorji Wangchuck.

Sometimes, people have refused or returned their awards. For example, P. N. Haksar and Vilayat Khan refused the award. The families of Lakshmi Chand Jain and Sharad Anantrao Joshi declined the award given to them after they passed away. Baba Amte returned his award in 1991, even though he received it in 1986.

What the Medal Looks Like

The Padma Vibhushan medal has changed a little over time. The original medal in 1954 was a gold-colored circle. It had a lotus flower on the front. The words "Padma Vibhushan" were written in Devanagari script above the lotus. On the back, it had the Emblem of India.

The current medal is a bronze-colored circle. It is about 1.75 inches (4.4 cm) wide. On the front, there is a lotus flower in the center. The word "Padma" is written above the lotus, and "Vibhushan" is written below it. These words are in Devanagari script.

On the back of the medal, you can see the Emblem of India. Below the emblem, it has India's national motto, "Satyameva Jayate". This means "Truth alone triumphs." The edges and all the raised parts of the medal are made of white gold. The words "Padma Vibhushan" are silver-colored. The medal hangs from a pink ribbon that is about 1.25 inches (3.2 cm) wide.

These medals are made at the Alipore Mint in Kolkata. This is where many other important Indian awards are also made.