List of Padma Bhushan award recipients (1954–1959)

[1] Instituted on 2 January 1954, the award is given for "distinguished service of a high order", without distinction of race, occupation, position, or sex.

[2] The recipients receive a Sanad, a certificate signed by the President of India and a circular-shaped medallion with no monetary association.

The original specification of the award was a circle made of standard silver 1+3⁄8 inches (35 mm) in diameter, with rims on both the sides.

The State Emblem of India was placed in the centre of the reverse side with the text "Desh Seva" in Devanagari Script on the lower edge.

The medal was suspended by a pink riband 1+1⁄4 inches (32 mm) in width divided into three equal segments by two white vertical lines.

Homi Jehangir Bhabha
Homi J. Bhabha (awarded in 1954), the "father of the Indian bomb", [ 6 ] was a nuclear physicist and the founding director of Tata Institute of Fundamental Research (TIFR) and the Trombay Atomic Energy Establishment (later named after him). [ 7 ] [ 8 ]
Dhyan Chand
Dhyan Chand (awarded in 1956) was a field hockey player and scored more than 1000 goals during his career spanned over 20 years from 1926 to 1948. [ 9 ]
Rukmini Devi Arundale
Rukmini Devi Arundale (awarded in 1956) was a theosophist and Bharata Natyam dancer. [ 10 ]
G. S. Sardesai
"Riyasatkar" historian Govind Sakharam Sardesai (awarded in 1957) wrote eight volumes of "Marathi Riyasat", three volumes of "Musalmani Riyasat", and two volumes of "British Riyasat". [ 11 ]
Salim Ali
The "Birdman of India" Salim Ali (awarded in 1958) was an ornithologist, naturalist, and was one of the founding members of Bombay Natural History Society . [ 12 ]
Rao Raja Hanut Singh
Rao Raja Hanut Singh (awarded in 1958) was an "Honorary Captain" in the British Indian Army and polo player. [ 13 ]
A sepia-toned photograph of an old man
Often described as "the founding father of modern Tamil theatre", Pammal Sambandha Mudaliar (awarded in 1959) was a playwright, director, producer, and actor. [ 14 ]
Edmund Hillary & Sherpa Tenzing
Tenzing Norgay (right, awarded in 1959) was one of the first two individuals known to reach the summit of Mount Everest , which he accomplished with Edmund Hillary (left) on 29 May 1953. [ 15 ]