Context:

Late singer and music composer S.P. Balasubramaniam, former Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe, and Islamic scholar MaulanaWahiduddin Khan have been conferred India’s second-highest civilian award, the Padma Vibhushan.

About the Civilian Awards

Bharat Ratna

• The Bharat Ratna is the highest civilian award of the Republic of India.
• The award is conferred in recognition of exceptional service/performance of the highest order, without distinction of race, occupation, position, or sex.
• A maximum of three nominees being awarded per year.
• The recipients receive a Sanad (certificate) signed by the President and a peepal leaf-shaped medallion.
• There is no monetary grant associated with the award.
• Two Non-Indians Bharat Ratna recipients: Abdul Ghaffar Khan and Nelson Mandela, born in and citizen of South Africa.

Padma Vibhushan

• The Padma Vibhushan is the second-highest civilian award of the Republic of India, after the Bharat Ratna.
• The award is given for “exceptional and distinguished service”, without distinction of race, occupation, position, or sex. ” The award criteria include
• Service in any field including service rendered by Government servants”.
• It has also been awarded to some distinguished individuals who were not citizens of India.

Padma Bhushan

• The Padma Bhushan is the third-highest civilian award in the Republic of India.
• It has also been awarded to some distinguished individuals who were not citizens of India.

Padma Shri

• Padma Shri is the fourth-highest civilian award in the Republic of India.
• It has also been awarded to some distinguished individuals who were not citizens of India.