Critique of India's Padma Awards System

The Padma Awards are India's highest civilian honors, given to people who have made exceptional contributions to the country.

However, a recent letter to the Prime Minister argues that the system is flawed.

The letter points out that only 131 awards are given each year to a population of 1.4 billion, which is not enough to recognize all the deserving individuals.

The letter also criticizes the lack of transparency in the selection process and the disproportionate representation of individuals from Delhi and Mumbai.

The author suggests expanding the number of awards to 10,001 and creating a more decentralized selection process involving local committees.

The letter emphasizes the importance of recognizing ordinary citizens who perform extraordinary acts and argues that a more inclusive and transparent system would inspire more people to strive for excellence.