This year the President of India has approved conferment of Padma Awards to 104 persons as per the list below. The list comprises of 9 Padma Vibhushan, 20 Padma Bhushan and 75 Padma Shri Awardees.
NEW DELHI, INDIA, January 25, 2015: (IBN Live): Padma Awards, one of the highest civilian Awards of the country, were announced on Sunday. The awards are conferred in three categories, namely, Padma Vibhushan, Padma Bhushan and Padma Shri. The Awards are given in various disciplines/ fields of activities, viz art, social work, public affairs, science and engineering, trade and industry, medicine, literature and education, sports, civil service, etc. Padma Vibhushan is awarded for exceptional and distinguished service (7 awarded in 2015); Padma Bhushan for distinguished service of high order (20 awarded) and Padma Shri for distinguished service in any field (75 awarded). The awards are announced on the occasion of Republic Day every year.
These awards are conferred by the President of India at ceremonial functions which are held at Rashtrapati Bhawan usually around March/ April every year. This year the President of India has approved conferment of Padma Awards to 104 persons (see source above for full list).
American David Frawley (Vamadeva Shastri), a Sanskritist, astrologer and expert in Ayurveda was given the Padma Bhushan (which also went to Bill and Melinda Gates). George Hart, Professor of Tamil at the University of California, was honored with the Padma Shri award. Chinese Indologist Huang Baosheng and German Indologist Annette Schmiedchen also received the Padma Shri.
In this story, here, it is reported that Baba Ramdev and Sri Sri Ravi Shankar both declined the award. Ramdev said that as an ascetic he should refrain from accepting rewards or honors. Sri Sri thanked the government for considering him for the award but said there were many other deserving people who should be honored instead.