The Padma Shri Award is one of the most honourable and prestigious civilian awards in India. The award is presented by the Government of India and is ranked fourth among all the national awards given in India. The Padma Shri Award is given to the eminent personalities from different parts of the Indian society as recognition of their outstanding contribution to their respective fields. The award is given in the fields like Arts, Education, Industry, Literature, Science, Sports, Social Service and Public Life.

The name of the Padma Shri Award came from a Sanskrit word `Padma` that means the beautiful flower, Lotus. The term Padma Shri is written in Devanagari on the obverse of the medal, above and below the Lotus flower. The geometrical pattern designed on both sides of the medal, is in polished bronze and the embossing is done in white gold. The Award was instituted in the year 1954 and a total of 18 prominent personalities received the award in the first year. The recipients were Dr. Bir Bhan Bhatia (Medicine), Dr. K. R. Chakravarty (Science & Engineering), Dr. Mathura Das (Medicine), Shri Relangi Venkata Ramaiah (Arts), Kumari Amalprava Das (Public Affairs), Lt. General S. P. Patil Thorat (Civil Service), Shri Akhil Chandra Mitra (Science & Engineering), Shri Apa Saheb Bala Saheb Pant (Civil Service), Shri Machani Somappa (Public Affairs), Shri Ramji Vasant Khanolkar (Medicine), Shri Shankar Pillai (Literature & Education), Shri Surinder Kumar Dey (Civil Service), Shri Tarlok Singh (Civil Service), Smt. Achamma Mathai (Public Affairs), Smt. Asha Devi Aryanayakam (Public Affairs), Smt. Bhag Mehta (Civil Service), Smt. Captain Perin (Public Affairs), and Smt. Mirnamayee Ray (Public Affairs).

The number of awardees of the Padma Shri award has increased year after year and so far the award was presented for the last time to 93 famous and successful personalities, in the year 2009. Some of the most popular among these awardees include MS Dhoni (Cricket), Smt. Aishwarya Rai Bachchan (Art), Shri Akshay Kumar (Art), Dr. Ms. Ameena Ahmed Ahuja, (Art), Shri S. B. Ghosh Dastidar (Civil Service), Shri Ameen Sayani, (Commentary & Broadcasting), Shri Abhay Chhajlani (Journalism), etc.