Awards & Honours is a constitutional concept and a scheme of state recognition in India, primarily connected to the fundamental right to equality. The concept is defined by Article 18 of the Constitution of India, which is a provision that abolishes titles to prevent the creation of a privileged class and uphold social equality. Article 18(1) explicitly states that "No title, not being a military or academic distinction, shall be conferred by the State".
The major civilian awards, such as the Bharat Ratna and the Padma Awards (Padma Vibhushan, Padma Bhushan, and Padma Shri), were instituted in 1954 by the Government of India to recognize "exceptional service/performance of the highest order" in various fields of human endeavour. The Padma Vibhushan was initially classified into three tiers—Pehla Warg, Dusra Warg, and Tisra Warg—but was reclassified into the three distinct Padma Awards by a Presidential Notification on January 8, 1955.
The mechanism of these civilian honours was challenged in the landmark Supreme Court judgment of Balaji Raghavan vs. Union of India (1996). The petitioners argued that the awards violated Article 18(1). The Supreme Court, in its judgment, held that the National Awards are not "titles" within the meaning of Article 18(1), thus upholding their constitutional validity. However, the Court mandated that the awards cannot be used as prefixes or suffixes to the recipient's name, as this would effectively transform them into prohibited titles. If a recipient violates this rule, they risk forfeiting the award under Regulation 10 of the relevant guidelines.
A significant change occurred in December 2011, when the criteria for the Bharat Ratna was expanded from being limited to achievements in the arts, literature, science, and public services to include "any field of human endeavour". The awards were briefly suspended twice in their history, from 1978 to 1979 and again from 1993 to 1997. The concept connects to other state recognitions like the Gallantry Awards (e.g., Param Vir Chakra), which are permitted as "military distinctions" under Article 18(1).