The online nominations and recommendations window for the Padma Awards, namely the Padma Vibhushan, Padma Bhushan and Padma Shri, will close on Thursday, September 15.

The Padma Awards, which will be announced on the eve of Republic Day next year, are among the highest civilian awards in the country.

The Ministry of Home Affairs started accepting nominations and recommendations for the Padma Awards on the Rashtriya Puruskar Portal -- https://awards.gov.in/ -- on May 1.

The Padma Awards are also open to self-nomination. Relevant details of the person’s exceptional achievements and service in their respective fields should be specified in the format available on the portal. It will also include a citation in narrative form of a maximum of 800 words.

The awards were instituted in 1954 and are announced every year on the occasion of Republic Day. They are given to people for distinguished and exceptional achievements or services in sports, art, literature and education, civil services, science and engineering, medicine, trade and industry, public affairs, and social work. The Padma awards are generally not conferred posthumously, except in highly deserving cases.

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These awards are given regardless of occupation, race, position or sex. However, individuals working in the government, including those holding posts in public sector undertakings (PSU), except doctors and scientists, are not eligible for the Padma Awards.

In order to ensure transparency and public partnership, the Central government launched the Rashtriya Puruskar Portal last month. The aim is to bring together all the awards of various ministries, departments and agencies under one platform.

Apart from the Padma Awards, the portal is open for accepting nominations for the National Gopal Ratna Award, National Award for Individual Excellence 2021 and 2022, Nari Shakti Puruskar, National Award for Senior Citizens, National CSR Awards, National Awards for Institutions Engaged in Empowering Persons with Disabilities 2021 and 2022, Subhash Chandra Bose Aapda Prabandhan Puraskar, among others.

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(Edited by : Sudarsanan Mani)