The Padma Awards were instituted in 1954 with the vision of recognizing and honoring exceptional contributions by individuals in various fields of public service and excellence. The vision was to celebrate merit, selfless service, and outstanding achievements in disciplines such as art, literature, science, education, sports, medicine, social work, public affairs, and trade & industry, aiming to acknowledge excellence and dedication to public service without distinction of race, occupation, or sex. The key principles behind the awards is promoting National Pride – instil a sense of inspiration and patriotism, encouraging individuals to contribute to the nation’s growth and progress. The Padma Awards were divided into three categories – Padma Vibhushan (for exceptional and distinguished service), Padma Bhushan (for distinguished service of high order) and Padma Shri (for distinguished service in any field).
For a long period of time however, the Padma Awards were being primarily received by rich, famous, and established professionals, particularly those from prominent fields like politics, business, and entertainment. This trend led to perceptions of favoritism, since the awards were mostly bagged by high-profile individuals who were well-connected politically and socially. The process was criticized for being elitist, with a lack of diversity in the recipients’ backgrounds and contributions, favoring the privileged gentry over grassroots workers, which created a sense of exclusion for unsung heroes of the country. As of February 2016, data reveals a 30% surge in Padma Shri awards during election years, highlighting a notable trend in their distribution. Just seven states accounted for a staggering 63% of all Padma Shri recipients over the past 16 years, indicating a concentration of honors in select regions. Delhi & Maharashtra alone account for a third of all the Padma Shri awards while Bihar barely had 20 winners, less than 2% of all the awards.
Such exclusion leads to significant implications on the morale and faith of the common citizens, especially the marginalized sections of society. We must understand that every individual is a product of his or her opportunities, hard work is often not enough. For remotely placed individuals, the opportunities and exposure is limited. Despite achieving extraordinary milestones in their fields, they often face systemic barriers like lack of visibility and social exclusion. Prioritizing high-profile personalities over grassroots changemakers reinforce the notion that success and recognition are reserved for those with privilege, network, or celebrity status, rather than for genuine contribution or excellence.
Especially for marginalized communities, this reinforced a cycle of invisibility where their battles, often against overwhelming odds, went unnoticed. It hindered their belief in the possibility of upward mobility, fostering feelings of unfairness and disenchantment with a system that seemed to prioritize the elite. The lack of recognition not only stifled their confidence but also demotivated others in their communities, as it appeared that merit alone was insufficient for acknowledgment. Not that they stopped fighting, but there was certainly a sense of unbelonging. They perceived the government and the well-placed society as enemies who would use, and if required exploit them, but never recognise them. This created a deep divide between the privileged and the underrepresented, challenging the very idea of meritocracy and fair valuation for human resources in a diverse society like India.
Nominations for Padma awards this year 28 times more than 2014, said PM Narendra Modi in February 2025. The Modi government, since 2014, has worked towards democratizing the Padma Awards, making them more inclusive and reflective of the diverse contributions across Indian society. One of the most notable changes was the broadening of the criteria and focus to include individuals from marginalized communities, rural backgrounds, and fields that had often been overlooked in the past. The government emphasized recognizing grassroots changemakers, unsung heroes, and people making significant impacts at the local and regional levels, regardless of their fame or social standing. The nomination process was also made more transparent, with a greater push to involve citizens and organizations in suggesting potential awardees.
In 2016, the Modi government transformed the Padma Awards nomination process by opening it to the general public. For the first time, any Indian citizen could nominate deserving individuals online, ensuring that merit and genuine contributions take precedence over influence or connections. In 2025, over 50,000 nominations were received annually, a increase over 20 times from the 2,200 nominations in 2014. The nominations were meticulously reviewed by a high-level committee before being forwarded to the Prime Minister and President for approval. This initiative sought to eliminate the culture of cronyism, influence, and lobbying. The introduction of an online application portal and an electronic management system leveraged technology to ensure a more transparent and efficient nomination process. It helped shift the focus from established elites to ordinary individuals who were often doing incredible work but lacked the visibility or influence to be recognized through traditional channels. The awards began to reflect diverse sectors, including social work, environmental conservation, innovation in rural areas, and restoration of indigenous arts and culture.
By emphasizing merit over status, the Modi government transformed the Padma Awards into a people’s award, one that celebrates real, tangible contributions that reflect the true spirit of India’s diversity. This move restored faith in the awards’ ability to recognize those who, despite challenges, were working tirelessly for the nation’s progress. In 2019, the government highlighted a “historic selection” of 12 farmers from across 9 states, 14 doctors from 11 states, and 28 artists and social workers across the country. It was an emotional moment for the audience to celebrate 106-year-old environmentalist Saalumarada Thimmakka, affectionately known as the “Mother of Trees”, whose lifelong dedication to afforestation has left an indelible mark on India’s green landscape. Among the 2025 awardees, visionaries like L. Hangthing from Nagaland, also called the “Fruit Man” for transforming fruit cultivation and Bhim Singh Bhavesh from Bihar’s Buxar district revered as the guardian of the Musahar community, stand as shining examples of grassroots changemakers.
The exclusion of marginalized individuals and grassroots contributors from receiving Padma Awards before 2014 directly undermined the very vision of the awards, which was to recognize exceptional contributions across all walks of life. It was important to break this pattern, not only to celebrate the talents without any influential backgrounds but also to inject a spirit of equality among various socio-economic classes. India is a country where the caste system is very deep rooted. Many superstitions and age-old traditions alienate individuals. It was a treat to experience Tulasi Gowda in 2021, hailing from the Hakkali tribe of Karnataka, often called the ‘encyclopedia of the forest’ for planting more than 30,000 saplings, walk barefoot to receive the Padma awards, wearing beads and a saree without a blouse as per the custom of her community and thanking in her local language, on the same platform with say, P. V. Sindhu who was an English speaking woman, more formally dressed as per general perceptions.
The 2025 list found Gokul Chandra Das, a Dhak player from West Bengal who had overcome severe caste-related oppressions to popularize his art form and Bhajan singer Batool Begum from Rajasthan, who promotes Sadbhavana by singing devotional bhajans despite being from a Muslim community.
With such stories defeating the dark caves and shining bright in the sun, I am optimistic that the image make-over of the Padma awards would strongly and sensitively contribute in liberating the people from caste discriminations in the days to come. When the river has started flowing, maybe it will touch every valley. It remains a hope to see many other important national forums, strictly supervised by a selected few gatekeepers, bringing their walls down and opening themselves to create opportunities and recognitions for the deserving, instead of focusing on a selected few beneficiary groups. Because more people mean more dreams, more attempts to make it to the top, more aspirants, more achievers and more empowered societies inspiring each other.
(Koral Dasgupta is an author a content curator)