The government has announced the Padma Awards for the year 2024. The list comprises five Padma Vibhushan, 17 Padma Bhushan, and 110 Padma Shri Awards. Thirty of the awardees are women and the list also includes eight persons from the category of Foreigners / NRI / PIO / OCI and nine Posthumous awardees.

Former Vice President Venkaiah Naidu, actor K Chiranjeevi, actress  Vyjayantimala Bali, and Bharat Natyam dancer Padma Subrahmanyam have been selected for Padma Vibhushan.  Social activist Bindeshwar Pathak has been awarded  Padma Vibhushan posthumously.

The first women Supreme Court Judge  M Fathima Beevi and Tamil actor Vijaykanth have been awarded Padma Bhushan posthumously. Bollywood actor Mithun Chakraborty, singer Usha Uthup, industrialist Sitaram Jindal, composer Pyarelal Sharma, and Foxconn Chairman Young Liu are among those who will be given Padma Bhushan.

Among the Padma awardees, 34 are unsung heroes. They include India’s first woman elephant mahout Parbati Baruah, tribal environmentalist Chami Murmu and social worker Sangthankima.

Padma Awards – one of the highest civilian Awards of the country is conferred in three categories – Padma Vibhushan, Padma Bhushan, and Padma Shri. The Awards are given in various disciplines and fields of activities, including art, social work, public affairs, science and engineering, trade and industry, medicine, literature, and education. 

‘Padma Vibhushan’ is awarded for exceptional and distinguished service, ‘Padma Bhushan’ for distinguished service of high order, and ‘Padma Shri’ for distinguished service in any field. The awards are announced on the occasion of Republic Day every year.