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Olympic medallist wrestler Bajrang Punia on Friday decided to return his Padma Shri award in protest against the election of Brij Bhushan Sharan Singh loyalist Sanjay Singh as the president of Wrestling Federation of India (WFI).
Padma Awards
The Padma Awards are one of the highest civilian honours of India.
Padma Awards announced annually on the eve of Republic Day (January 26).
These awards recognize achievements in all fields of activities or disciplines where an element of public service is involved.
There are three categories of Padma Awards:
Padma Vibhushan: Awarded for exceptional and distinguished service. (Image of Padma Vibhushan award)
Padma Bhushan: Awarded for distinguished service of a high order. (Image of Padma Bhushan award)
Padma Shri: Awarded for distinguished service. (Image of Padma Shri award)
The awards are conferred by the President of India at a ceremonial function held at Rashtrapati Bhavan.
Basic details about the Padma Awards:
The awards were instituted in 1954.
The names of the awardees are announced through a press release issued by the Ministry of Home Affairs.
The awardees are presented with a sanad (certificate) signed by the President of India and a medal.
The medal is made of bronze or silver gilt and has a lotus flower design.
The Padma Awards are considered to be one of the most prestigious awards in India.
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