The Pravasi Bharatiya Samman (Overseas Indian Honour) is the highest honour conferred by the President of India on Overseas Indians, with a maximum of 30 awards given every two years. From 2003 to 2025, there have been 323 awardees in 10 broad categories from 85 countries. The awards are organised by the Ministry of Overseas Indian Affairs, Government of India, in conjunction with the Pravasi Bharatiya Divas (Overseas Indians Day), to honour exceptional and meritorious contribution in their chosen field/profession. The number of these awards per annum has averaged 14, compared to 18.6 for Padma Bhushan.
Award criteria and summary
Pravasi Bharatiya Samman (PBS) is conferred for outstanding contributions in any of the following areas:
Summary by category (2003–2025; 32 dual category winners) Category Award CountCommunity Service & Philanthropy103Business & Management74Public Service, Politics & Law73Medical Science, Hospital, Healthcare & Public Health27Arts, Culture & Media25Architecture, Engineering, Science & Technology 24Academics & Education23Agriculture & Agronomy3Economics2Sports1 Summary by country (2003–2025; 85 countries) Country Awards Country AwardsUSA53Jamaica2UAE18Myanmar2UK18Philippines2South Africa15Poland2Australia9Portugal2Canada9Russia2Fiji8Seychelles2Japan8Sri Lanka2Saudi Arabia8Sweden2Guyana7Armenia1Malaysia7Austria1Mauritius7Azerbaijan1New Zealand7Barbados1Oman7Belgium1Trinidad and Tobago7Botswana1Bahrain6Brazil1Germany6Cambodia1Qatar6Cameroon1Hong Kong5China1Kenya5Cote D' Ivoire1Israel4Croatia1Mexico4Curacao1Singapore4Czech Republic1Tanzania4Denmark1Thailand4Djibouti1Brunei Darussalam3Egypt1France3Guinea1Kuwait3Indonesia1Netherlands3Italy1Reunion3Kyrgyzstan1Suriname3Laos1Switzerland3Liberia1Uganda3Libya1Bhutan2Madagascar1Ethiopia2Malawi1Maldives1South Sudan1Moldova1Spain1Mozambique1Sudan1Nigeria1Singapore & USA1Norway1Ukraine1Papua New Guinea1Uzbekistan1Republic of Congo1Zimbabwe1Romania1 This summary combines related citation terms under an appropriate broad category. For example, “Medical Science, Hospital, Healthcare & Public Health” covers: Year Recipient Country Exact Citation (Field)2004Dr. Mariam ChistiKuwaitPublic Health2006Dr. Majid Uddin KaziSaudi ArabiaMedicine2010Dr. (Smt.) Ruby Umesh PawankarJapanMedicine2010Dr. Rajni KanabarTanzaniaMedicine2010Dr. Azad MoopenUAEMedicine2012Dr. Kalpalatha Kummamuri GuntupalliUSAMedicine2013Dr. Narendra Ramakrishna KumarUSAHealthcare2014Dr. Shamsheer Vayalil ParambathUAEHealthcare Business2015Dr. (Mrs.) Nandini TandonUSAManagement of Healthcare and Business2017Dr. Lael Anson E. BestIsraelMedical Science & Entrepreneur2017Mr. Carani Balaraman SanjeeviSwedenMedical & Hospital Care2017Dr. Bharat Haridas BaraiUSAMedical Science & Entrepreneurship2019Dr. Guna Sekhar MuppuriJamaicaMedical Science & Entrepreneurship2019Dr. Prakash Madhavdas HedaKenyaMedical Science2019Dr. Zulekha DaudUAEMedical Science & Business2019Dr. Kiran Chhotubhai PatelUSAMedical Science2021Dr. Rajani Chandra D'MelloAzerbaijanMedicine2021Dr. Mohan Thomas Lazarus PakalomattomQatarMedicine2021Dr. Anil Kumar Chotalal MithaniSudanMedicine2021Dr. Sudhakar JonnalagaddaUSAMedicine2023Dr. Alexander Maliakel JohnBrunei DarussalamMedicine2023Dr. Amal Kumar MukhopadhyayGermanyCommunity Welfare/Medicine2025Dr. Philomena Ann Mohini HarrisBarbadosMedical Science2025Dr. Prem KumarKyrgyzstanMedical Science2025Dr. Syed Anwar KhursheedSaudi ArabiaMedical Science2025Dr. Kaushik Laxmidas RamaiyaTanzaniaMedicine2025Dr. Sharad LakhanpalUSAMedicine
Awardees for 2003
Country Name Description Rt. Hon’ble Sir Anerood Jugnauth Prime Minister of Mauritius Prof. Fatima Meer She took active part in political, social and philanthropic causes, deeply influenced by the Gandhian values and approach Dr. Hari N. Harilela Business ventures and community welfare activities, he has been long considered the standard-bearer and the most recognizable symbol of the Indian Diaspora in Hong Kong. Shri Kanaksi Gokaldas Khimji The Khimjis have utilized their proximity to the ruling family in the cause of the Diaspora and strengthening links between India and Oman. Shri Manilal Premchand Chandaria He has used his resources to propagate Indian ethos and values. He helped set-up Mahatma Gandhi Memorial Academy Society and Gandhi Smarak Nidhi Fund in Kenya. Navnit Dholakia, Baron Dholakia Lord Dholakia made significant contributions in the fields of community care and issues relating to ethnic unrest. He played an important role in addressing the sensitive issue of racial discontent. Shri Rajat Gupta Shri Gupta has embarked on work relating to community welfare and social and Philanthropic causes. He played a key-role in the establishment of the Indian School of Business at Hyderabad. Sir Shridath Surendranath Ramphal Sir Shridath Ramphal is a distinguished Jurist having been Solicitor General and Attorney General of Guyana and Member of International Commission of Jurists. Sir Shridath Ramphal also held positions of responsibility in international organizations such as Independent Commission on International Development Issues, Independent Commission on Disarmament and Security Issues, Independent Commission of International Humanitarian Issues and World Commission on Environment and Development, Chairman UN Committee for Development Planning and President, World. He is a former Secretary General of the Commonwealth of Nations. Dato’ Seri S. Samy Vellu Deputy Minister of Local Government and Housing (1978–79); Minister for Works (1979–85) and Minister of Energy, Tele communications & Posts, Malaysia (1989–95). He has been a Member of the House of Representatives of the Malaysian Parliament since 1974. Ujjal Dosanjh In 1991, Shri Dosanjh was elected as Member of the Legislative Assembly in the Vancouver Kensington constituency and then as Caucus Chair. He became the Minister for Human Rights, Multiculturalism, Sports and Immigration in 1995, and then was appointed the Attorney General of British Columbia. In a historic development, he was elected as the 33rd Premier and President of the Executive Council of British Columbia, which is first for a person of Indian origin in Canada.
Awardees for 2004 Country Name Description Dipak Jain Dean, Kellogg School of Management Kalpana Chawla NASA Astronaut Ahmed Moosa Ebrahim Supreme Court justice Bharrat Jagdeo President of Guyana Mahendra Pal Chaudhry Fmr. Prime Minister of Fiji Dr. Marian Chisti Lord Meghnad Desai Economist, Writer, Labour politician Narinder Singh Kapany Indian-American physicist who was a pioneer in the field of fiber optics Shashi Tharoor Politician, Diplomat, Writer Sukhi Turner Fmr. Mayor of Dunedin, New Zealand P. Mohamed Ali Industrialist
Awardees for 2005 Country Name Description M. Arunachalam President, Asia Pacific India Chambers of Commerce Jagdish Bhagwati Indian American economist Amina Cachalia Women's activist, politician J.K. Chande Chancellor, International Medical and Technological University, Dar es Salaam, Tanzania. Alokeranjan Dasgupta Poet, philosopher, academic Ahmed Kathrada South African anti-apartheid activist Sunil Khilnani Political scientist, writer Basdeo Panday Prime Minister of Trinidad and Tobago Bhikhu Parekh member, British House of Lords Sam Pitroda Indian American entrepreneur and Indian communications policymaker Vikram Seth Novelist and poet M. Night Shyamalan Indian American film screenwriter, director and producer Vijay Singh Indo-Fijian golfer A Vijayan Disaster Search & Rescue - Indian Ocean Tsunami Sant Singh Virmani Rice scientist M. A. Yusuff Ali Owner of Lulu Group International (Abu Dhabi headquartered Indian conglomerate)
Awardees for 2006 Country Name Description Shivnath Rai Bajaj Eliahu Bezalel Abdool Raouf Bundhun Pratima Kale Majid Uddin Kazi C. K. Menon Gulam Kaderbhai Noon Sudhir M. Parikh Yesu Persaud V. Ramadoss Sisupal Rambharos Niranjan S. Shah Shan V Jean-Paul Virapoullé Fareed Zakaria journalist, editor of Newsweek International
Awardees for 2007 Country Name Description Field of Merit Gopal Raju journalist, founder-editor India Abroad Media Lord Diljit Rana Hon. Consul Belfast, Managing Director Andras House Business Dave Sukhdip Singh Hayer Member of Legislative Assembly of British Columbia Public Affairs Madhavan Anirudhan President Essen Nutrition Business Billy Nair Member of Parliament, ANC South Africa Public Affairs Pheroze Nowrojee Advocate, Human Rights Activist Community Affairs Nirmal K. Sinha Community Leader, Significant contribution to fostering friendship between India and USA Community Affairs Tan Sri Dato K.R. Somasundram Executive Chairman, National Land Finance Co-operative Society Public Affairs Kenneth S. Benjamin Founder and chairman of the Guardsman Group Business Sibabrata Roy President Indo-German Society Hamburg, Promoter of Indian Culture in Germany Community Affairs Syed M. Salahuddin Managing director, ETA-Ascon Group Business Bavaguthu Raghuram Shetty Businessman Pharmaceuticals, Chairman Board of Governors Abu Dhabi Indian School Business Sir Moti Tikaram Justice, National President for Fiji, World Jurist Association Public Affairs Abdool Magid Karim Vakil President Comunidade Islamica de Lisboa Business Panchapakesa Jayaraman Writer, Promoter of Hindi language and literature Culture
Awardees for 2008 Country Name Description Field of Merit Dr. Mohammed Roshankt Chairman of TCS-FNS Dr. Ravi Pillai Managing director Nasser Al Hajri Corporation Business Dr. Navinchandra Ramgoolam Prime Minister Mauritius Public Affairs Neville Joseph Roach Chairman of TCS-FNS A. P. S. Mani Founder and coordinator of Indian Community Activities in Tokyo Judge Ajit Swaran Singh District Judge in New Zealand Dr. Rafiudin Fazulbhoy Founding member of the Indian school at Jeddah and the Indian Pilgrims' Welfare Forum Bicky Chakraborty CEO Elite Hotels, Sweden Krishnamurthy Kumar Founding governor of the Indian Business and Professional Council Lord Karan Bilimoria Chancellor Thames Valley University Dr. Thomas Abraham Founder chairman Global Organization of People of Indian Origin (GOPIO Inc.) Joy Cherian Commissioner at the United States Equal Employment Opportunity Commission National Council of Indian Culture NGO dedicated to the promotion of Indian culture in Trinidad and Tobago
Awardees for 2009 Country Name Field of MeritTan Sri G. VadivelooCommunity ServiceSoman BabyCommunity ServiceShri Angidi Chettiar Public ServiceShri Community ServiceShri Ram Lakhina Community Service P. N. C. Menon Philanthropy Shri Parmananthan ‘Prema’ Naidoo Public Service Shri Ramdien Sardjoe Public ServiceShri J. R. Gangaramani Community ServiceBaroness Shreela Flather Public ServiceProf C. K. Prahalad Management Prof. Sumit GangulyPublic Service Dr. Sampatkumar Shidramapa Shivangi Community Leadership
Awardees for 2010
Country Name Description Field of Merit Dr. Azad MoopenChairman of Aster DM HealthcareHealthcareAzim AbbasDirector of Al Sulaiman Jewellery & Watches BusinessDr. Rajni KanabarWork with the Tanzania Heart Babies Project.Healthcare Shri Mohinder Singh Bhullar Community ServiceShri Yanktesh Permal ReddyCommunity Service Shri Ryuko Hira Community Service Smt Dr. Ruby Umesh Pawankar Medicine Shri Suresh Kumar Virmani Community Service Shri Pravin Jamnadas Gordhan Public ServiceDr. Tholisiah Perumal NaidooCommunity Service Shri Deepak Mittal BusinessDr. Lenny Krishendath SaithPublic Service Dr. Mani Lal Bhaumik Community Service Shri Ashok Kumar Mago Community Service Shri Upendra J. Chivukula Public Service
Awardees for 2011