Award

Establishment year

Category

Details

Bharat Ratna

1954

Civilian

Highest Civilian Award given for recognition of exceptional
service/performance of the highest order.

Padma Vibhushan

1954

Civilian

It is the second-highest civilian award in India. The Award is
given for exceptional and distinguished service in any field including
service rendered by Government servants.

Padma Bhushan

1954

Civilian

It is the third-highest civilian award in India. The award is
given for exceptional and distinguished service in any field including
service rendered by Government servants.

Padma Shri

1954

Civilian

It is the fourth-highest civilian award in India. The award is
given for exceptional and distinguished service in any field including
service rendered by Government servants.

Sarvottam Jeevan Raksha Padak

1961

Civilian

It is a Civilian Lifesaving award given by Indian Government for
saving lives from drowning, fire, or mine accidents.

Uttam Jeevan Raksha Padak

1961

Civilian

It is a Civilian Lifesaving award given by Indian Government for
saving lives from drowning, fire, or mine accidents.

Jeevan Raksha Padak

1961

Civilian

It is a Civilian Lifesaving award given by Indian Government for
saving lives from drowning, fire, or mine accidents.

Param Vir Chakra

1950

Gallantry

It India’s highest wartime gallantry award. It is given for highest
degree of valour in the presence of the enemy during war time.

Ashoka Chakra

1952

Gallantry

It is India’s highest peacetime military decoration award. The Ashok
Chakra series of awards are open to civilians also. These awards are biannual
and are given on the Republic Day and Independence Day.

Shaurya Chakra

1952

Gallantry

Awarded for gallantry otherwise than in the face of the enemy. This
award may be granted to civilians or to military personnel and may be awarded
posthumously.

Vir Chakra

1947

Gallantry

Acts of gallantry in the presence of the enemy, whether on land or at sea
or in the air.

Vyas Samman

1991

Literature

The award is given annually by the K.K. Birla Foundation and includes
a cash payout of Rs 4,00,000. 

Saraswati Samman

1991

Literature

The Saraswati Samman is an annual award for outstanding prose or
poetry literary works in any of the 22 languages of India.

Jnanpith award

(Gyanpith)

1961

Literature

This literary award presented annually by the Bharatiya Jnanpith to an
author for their “outstanding contribution towards literature”.

Sahitya Akademi Award

1954

Literature

It is given to the most outstanding books of literary merit published
in any of the major Indian languages recognised by the Akademi.

Sangeet-Natak Akademi Award

1952

Literature

The Sangeet-Natak Akademi Award is given for highest achievement in
music, dance and drama.

Arjuna Award

1961

Sports

The award is given to recognize outstanding achievement in sports. The
Arjuna Awards are given annually by the Ministry of Youth Affairs and Sports,
Government of India.

Dronacharya Award

1985

Sports

Dronacharya Award is given to the sports coaches for their outstanding
contribution.

Dhyan Chand Award

2002

Sports

Dhyan Chand Award is a Lifetime Achievement award in Sports and Games
in India.

Rajiv Gandhi Khel Ratna Award

1991

Sports

It is the highest sporting honour in India.

Dadasaheb Phalke Award

1969

Film

The Dadasaheb Phalke Award is India’s highest award in cinema. It is
presented annually by the Ministry of Information and Broadcasting.

Shanti Swarup Bhatnagar Prize

1958

Science and Technology

The Shanti Swarup Bhatnagar award is given annually by the Council of
Scientific and Industrial Research for outstanding research, applied or
fundamental, in biology, chemistry, environmental science, engineering,
mathematics, medicine and Physics.

International Gandhi Peace Prize

1995

Peace

The award is named after Mahatma Gandhi. It is awarded annually by the
Government of India for contribution in Peace.