Major Indian awards with their field, awarding body and the year they were instituted. Verify the latest details before your exam.
| Award | Field | Details |
|---|---|---|
| Bharat Ratna | Any field of human endeavour | Highest civilian award of India; instituted 1954. |
| Padma Vibhushan | Exceptional & distinguished service | 2nd highest civilian award; instituted 1954. |
| Padma Bhushan | Distinguished service of a high order | 3rd highest civilian award; instituted 1954. |
| Padma Shri | Distinguished service | 4th highest civilian award; announced on Republic Day; instituted 1954. |
| Award | Field | Details |
|---|---|---|
| Param Vir Chakra (PVC) | Wartime gallantry | Highest wartime military decoration; instituted 1950. |
| Maha Vir Chakra (MVC) | Wartime gallantry | 2nd highest wartime gallantry award. |
| Vir Chakra | Wartime gallantry | 3rd highest wartime gallantry award. |
| Ashoka Chakra | Peacetime gallantry | Highest peacetime military decoration; instituted 1952. |
| Kirti Chakra | Peacetime gallantry | 2nd highest peacetime gallantry award. |
| Shaurya Chakra | Peacetime gallantry | 3rd highest peacetime gallantry award. |
| Award | Field | Details |
|---|---|---|
| Jnanpith Award | Literature | Highest literary award in India; given by Bharatiya Jnanpith; instituted 1961. |
| Sahitya Akademi Award | Literature | Given by the Sahitya Akademi; instituted 1954. |
| Saraswati Samman | Literature | For an outstanding literary work; K.K. Birla Foundation; instituted 1991. |
| Vyas Samman | Literature (Hindi) | For Hindi literary work; K.K. Birla Foundation; instituted 1991. |
| Dadasaheb Phalke Award | Cinema | Highest award in Indian cinema; Government of India; instituted 1969. |
| Sangeet Natak Akademi Award | Performing arts (music, dance, drama) | Given by the Sangeet Natak Akademi; instituted 1952. |
| Award | Field | Details |
|---|---|---|
| Major Dhyan Chand Khel Ratna Award | Sports (highest honour) | Highest sporting honour of India; instituted 1991–92; renamed from Rajiv Gandhi Khel Ratna in 2021. |
| Arjuna Award | Outstanding performance in sports | For consistently outstanding performance; instituted 1961. |
| Dronacharya Award | Coaching | For outstanding coaches; instituted 1985. |
| Dhyan Chand Award | Lifetime achievement in sports | For lifetime contribution to sports; instituted 2002. |
| Award | Field | Details |
|---|---|---|
| Gandhi Peace Prize | Social, economic & political transformation through non-violence | Given by the Government of India; instituted 1995. |
| Param Vishisht Seva Medal (PVSM) | Distinguished military service | Highest peacetime distinguished service medal; instituted 1960. |
| Indira Gandhi Award for National Integration | National integration | Given by the Indian National Congress; instituted 1985. |