Jeevan Raksha Padak Awards | UPSC

JEEVAN RAKSHA PADAK AWARDS

• Jeevan Raksha Padak awards, an offshoot of the Ashoka Chakra series of Gallantry awards, were instituted in the year 1961.
• As the name of the award suggests, the award is given to a person for saving someone’s life.

• The award is given in cases like drowning in water, accidents, fire incidents, electrocution, natural calamities, rescue operation in mines etc.

THREE CATEGORIES OF THE AWARD

i) Sarvottam Jeevan Raksha Padak is awarded for conspicuous courage in saving life under circumstances of very great danger to the life of the rescuer.

ii) Uttam Jeevan Raksha Padak is awarded for courage and promptitude in saving life under circumstances of great danger to the life of the rescuer.

iii) Jeevan Raksha Padak is awarded for courage and promptitude in saving life under circumstances of grave bodily injury to the rescuer.

ELIGIBILITY

• Persons of either sex in all walks of life are eligible for these awards.
• The award can also be conferred posthumously.

NOMINATIONS

• It is normal practice to invite nominations for these awards every year from Government of India.

• The recommendations of the award are considered within a period of two calendar years from the date of performance of the act.
• The Awards Committee makes its recommendations to the Prime Minister and the President.

PRIZE

• The award is presented in the form of a medallion and a certificate signed by the Union Home Minister.
• A small-size replica of the main medal is also given to the awardees.
• No miniature medal is given if the award is given posthumously.

The recipients are given a lump-sum monetary allowance at the following rates:-

a) Sarvottam Jeevan Raksha Padak ₹ 2,00,000/-

b) Uttam Jeevan Raksha Padak ₹ 1,50,000/-

c) Jeevan Raksha Padak ₹ 1,00,000/-

APPEARANCE

• The Uttam Jeevan Raksha Padak is a circular silver medal 58 mm (2.3 in) in diameter.

• The reverse bears the Emblem of India and the motto Satyameva Jayate.
• The ribbon of the medal is red, 32 mm (1.3 in) wide.
• At the edges are light blue stripes and two green centre stripes in the middle of the ribbon.