Padma Shri Award
पद्म श्री या पद्मश्री सम्मान
पद्म श्री या पद्मश्री, भारत सरकार द्वारा आम तौर पर सिर्फ भारतीय नागरिकों को दिया जाने वाला सम्मान है जो जीवन के विभिन्न क्षेत्रों जैसे कि, कला, शिक्षा, उद्योग, साहित्य, विज्ञान, खेल, चिकित्सा, समाज सेवा और सार्वजनिक जीवन आदि में उनके विशिष्ट योगदान को मान्यता प्रदान करने के लिए दिया जाता है। भारत के नागरिक पुरस्कारों के पदानुक्रम में यह चौथा पुरस्कार है इससे पहले क्रमश: भारत रत्न, पद्म विभूषण और पद्म भूषण का स्थान है. इसके अग्रभाग पर, "पद्म" और "श्री" शब्द देवनागरी लिपि में अंकित रहते हैं।
Padma Shri Award
Padma Shri (also Padmashree) is the fourth highest civilian award in the Republic of India, after the Bharat Ratna, the Padma Vibhushan and the Padma Bhushan. It is awarded by the Government of India.
It is awarded to citizens of India to recognize their distinguished contribution in various spheres of activity including the Arts, Education, Industry, Literature, Science, Sports, Medicine, Social Service and Public Affairs. However it has also been awarded to some distinguished individuals who were not citizens of India and who did contribute in various ways to India. The selection criteria, however, has been heavily criticized as many highly deserving artists have been left out in order to favor certain individuals. On its obverse, the words "Padma", meaning lotus in Sanskrit and "Shri", in Devanagari, appear above and below a lotus flower. The geometrical pattern on either side is in burnished bronze. All embossing is in white gold. As of 2013, 2577 people have received the award.