Raj Vibhushan
| Raj Vibhushan (Jewel of the Nation) राज विभूषण | |
|---|---|
| Awarded by the Rashtradhyaksh | |
| Type | Second highest civilian honorific |
| Awarded for | "exceptional and distinguished service" without distinction of race, occupation, position, or sex. |
| Status | Currently awarded |
| Statistics | |
| Established | 6 August 2023 |
| Precedence | |
| Next (higher) | Raj Ratna |
| Next (lower) | Raj Bhushan |
Raj Vibhushan (Hindi: राज विभूषण) meaning Jewel of the Nation is the second highest civilian honorific title of Vishwamitra ranking below Raj Ratna. The title is bestowed on an individual for "exceptional and distinguished service" without distinction of race, occupation, position, or sex. The title is at the sole pleasure and discretion of the sovereign. The title-holders shall be entitled to the style of address as "The Right Honourable".
The total number of appointments as Raj Vibhushan shall be limited to 15 individuals in a year. Members of the royal families can also be appointed as title-holders and shall be counted as extranumerary individuals. The title can also be conferred on foreign nationals only in an exceptional case and shall be considered as supernumerary appointees.
Background
The title was first created in the form of the Padma Ratna which was the second highest civilian decoration of Friends Society from 2015 until 2019. The title was reconstituted on 6 August 2023 after the national peerage was abolished and a three-tier honorific system was introduced through a gazette notification. Under the changes initiated, the title of Raj Ratna was re-designated as the highest civilian honorific title in the nation followed by the Raj Vibhushan and then the Raj Bhushan titles.
The title of Raj Vibhushan is bestowed upon an individual for "exceptional and distinguished service" without distinction of race, occupation, position, or sex. The title is conferred at the sole pleasure and discretion of the sovereign and all title-holders are to be entitled to the style of address as "The Right Honourable".
All the title-holders are entitled to use the title as a prefix before their names and the honorific styles of the various orders of chivalry.
Privileges
All recipients of the title of Raj Vibhushan are entitled to bear special perks and privileges. They are entitled to bear the style of address of The Right Honourable.
In a separate notification issued by the Chief Herald Arthur Lacey-Scott-FitzLacia on 6 August 2023, all title-holders of Raj Vibhushan are to be entitled to use the heraldic comital coronet which was formerly used by a count or countess in the nobility.
Title-holders
Four distinguished individuals have been appointed as Raj Vibhushan till date.
- 6 August 2023: Arthur Lacey-Scott-FitzLacia, Deputy Prime Minister
- 6 August 2023: Jayden Dagsa, former President of Privy Council
- 6 August 2023: Tyler Mullins, former Speaker of Lok Sabha
- 6 August 2023: Arsal Abbas Mirza, Union Cabinet Minister