List of Civilian Awards in India

• Bharat Ratna
• PADMA VIBHUSHAN

BHARAT RATNA : Bharat Ratna is India's highest civilian award awarded for the highest degrees of national service and contribution to different fields like art, literature and science. Bharat Ratna does not confer any knighthood to its recipient but it is recognition of the highest order of public service. It has been awarded to forty one people so far. The award was established by the first President of  India, Dr. Rajendra Prasad, on 2 January 1954. Along with other major national honours, such as the Padma Vibhushan, Padma Bhushan and Padma Shri, the awarding of the Bharat Ratna was  suspended from 13 July 1977 to 26 January 1980.

 The original specifications for the award called for a circular gold medal, 35 mm in diameter, with  the sun and the Hindi legend "Bharat Ratna" above and a floral wreath below. The reverse was to  carry the state emblem and motto. It was to be worn around the neck from a white ribbon. This  design was altered after a year. The Government of India does not underline any formal provision for the recipients of the Bharat  Ratna to be Indian citizens. In that respect, there has been one award to a naturalized Indian  citizen, Mother Teresa (1980), and two to non-Indians, Khan Abdul Ghaffar Khan (1987) and  Nelson Mandela (1990).

Indian freedom fighter Netaji Subhas Chandra Bose was also awarded   Bharat Ratna posthumously in 1992 which was later withdrawn as Supreme Court of India could  not produce conclusive evidence of his death.On August 15, 1954 the first Bharat Ratna Awardees were Sarvepalli Radhakrishnan, the second president of India, Mr. C. Rajagopalachari, former Chief Minister of Madras and Dr. C.V. Raman, eminent scientist. The award is for exceptional service towards the advancement of art, literature and science and in recognition of public service of the highest order. Bhimsen Joshi being the most recent who was conferred upon this award for his outstanding contribution to the field of music in 2008.

PADMA VIBHUSHAN The Padma Vibhushan is India's second highest civilian honour which ranks behind the Bharat Ratna and before Padma Bhushan. It consists of a medal and a citation and is awarded by the President of India. It was established on 2 January 1954. It is awarded to acknowledge exceptional and distinguished service to the nation in various fields.Like Bharat Ratna, this award was established by the President of India on 2 January 1954. The award was originally established as the Pahela Varg but the structure was changed in 1955 The award was suspended between 1977 and 1980 and between 1992 and 1998. According to the latest statistics, Padma Vibhushan has been conferred o 256 people so far.