You too should get Padma Shri

The Padma Awards, the country’s highest civilian awards, are conferred in three categories: Padma Vibhushan, Padma Bhushan and Padma Shri. The Awards are given in all disciplines - art, social work, public affairs, science and engineering, trade and industry, medicine, literature and education, sports, civil service, etc. Phew!
‘Padma Vibhushan’ is awarded for exceptional and distinguished service; ‘Padma Bhushan’ for distinguished service of high order and ‘Padma Shri’ for distinguished service in any field. Is honesty, dedication, nationalism, self-less service counted? Interestingly, Padma Shri are given to any member in any discipline for distinguished service but not of high order. There are reports that the 128 odd awards are given away in a matter of few sitting by officials.
Over the years, our national awards have lost meaning. There is enough scope for meddling with the system to get a national award. Our national awards are dictated by media frenzy, politicians and middlemen - all not in that order.
This year, it is said the Prime Minister’s office got its say in giving awards.
ICICI Bank’s Chanda Kochhar, Max India founder Analjit Singh, Infosys CEO Kris Gopalkrishnan, Dr Reddy’s founder Dr K Anji Reddy, GVK honcho Gunapati Venkata Reddy, NIIT founder Rajendra Singh Pawar, ITC’s Yogi Deveshwar have been awarded the Padma Bhushan while Ajim Premji of Wipro got Padma Vibhushan.
What explains awards to industrialists or bureaucrats and what are their specific achievements? What are the criteria to give away national honours to people who are in the business of making money or supposed to do their job?
The list of awardees this year includes names of Brajesh Mishra, Montek Singh Ahluwalia and Shyam Sharn. Brajesh Mishra was a part of the government that dropped off three terrorists to Kandahar and also killed over 500 own soldiers for wrongly deploying the army after the Parliament attack.
Public servants are paid by the government for the job they are expected to do, so where is the question of them getting awarded by the nation for distinguished service.
If doing a job is the basis, then every soldier deserves a national honour. The point is to do your job in rare conditions, ready to give your life for the sake of the country.
What are the achievements of Tabu, Kajol or Irfan Khan who have bagged Padma Shri? Objections should not be only to give awards to actors or singers but even others. Interestingly, awards are given to people staying outside the country and working for the country they are living in.
Prof Martha Chen and Dr Azad Moopen of USA and UAE, respectively, have been given for social work in their respective nations. Prof Upendra Baxi gets Padma Shri for legal services in United Kingdom. Is it time for the parameters of giving awards to NRIs or PIOs to be reevaluated.
Hired lobbyists and news TV channels ran an aggressive campaign before the R-Day openly lobbying Bharat Ratan for cricketer Sachin Tendulkar, an IPL player who has been playing the game for over two decades and features in several ads of various products. Eventually VVS Laxam settled with a Padma Shri for cricket, which is not even an Olympic sport. Ideally, the entire cricketing team should be given Bharat Ratan for engaging and uniting the country. We should give away over around 10 crore awards in a year so that this controversy of giving awards dies in a decade or two.