Sagar Samman Award 2025

NMDC is set up at Mumbai for organizing and coordinating various programmes for celebrations of the National Maritime Day and the Merchant Navy Flag Day and other activities at all major, intermediate and minor ports and other places in India and abroad. The Committee is composed of representatives of Ship-owners, Seafarers and of the Offices of the Directorate General of Shipping, Ministry of Shipping. The Committee secures funds through voluntary contribution from the Ship-owners, Ports authorities, various Semi Government and non-official organization interested in Shipping.

 

The main objects of the NMDC as listed out in the Memorandum of Association are as under:

 

1.1. To organize the National Maritime Day Celebrations and the Merchant Navy Flag Day on 5 th April every year at all such ports and such places in India and abroad in such manner as may be decided upon by the Committee from time to time.

 

1.2. To highlight the role and promote development of the shipping Industry in all its aspects, by diffusion of knowledge and information through publication and /or newspaper, magazine, meetings, seminars, symposium, workshops, exhibition, competitions, etc.

 

1.2.1. To recognize the services of seafarers and services of any other persons connected in promotion and development and national shipping and other allied matters by way of awards, rewards, scholarship and /or any other manner.

 

1.2.2. To finalize welfare and training projects for seafarers and for shipping personnel.

 

1.2.3. To promote publications of educational literature and conduct of research for the benefit of Seafarers and Shipping Industry. 1.3. Generally, to take such measures and do all such acts and things as may be necessary in furtherance of the above objects.

Eligibility

1. The entity making a nomination/recommendation shall provide a declaration-cum-undertaking that he/she/it has read the guidelines for the relevant award(s) and fully abides by the same as well as the decision(s) of the Evaluation Committee for these awards which shall be final and binding.

2. To enable a proper assessment and selection of an eligible nominee(s) for an award, nomination(s) shall be accompanied by complete and cogent details of the outstanding contributions, achievements and performances of the nominee(s) relating to the maritime sector and shall include the bio-data and other relevant details of the nominee(s) as specified in the application proforma for each category of award. The data/information provided for the purpose is with reference to the immediately preceding calendar year. Besides, the applicant(s) shall submit a formal self-declaration and undertaking that all the particulars and documents furnished by the nominee(s) with the respective application(s) are complete and correct in all respects. In the event of any award having been found to have been conferred on the basis of any false or fraudulent declaration or mis-statement, such award shall be liable to be revoked/ withdrawn, summarily, with the further liability that such an applicant/nominee shall stand permanently debarred from consideration for any such award in the future.

3. In case a nomination of an individual (natural/legal person) has been proposed by an entity, a letter shall also be submitted with the application to the effect that the consent of such an individual for consideration for nomination for the award concerned has already been obtained on record.

4. Incomplete, incorrect, unclear and illegible applications shall not be considered and are liable for rejection, summarily.

5. Nominations shall only be submitted electronically in the form of duly signed and scanned copies of the applications and accompanying documents.

6. However, in a given year, if no nomination is received for any specific category of award, the Evaluation Committee, for reasons to be substantiated and recorded in writing, may consider a suitable nomination(s),suo-moto.

7. The nominations are for the period 01 Jan 2024 - 31 Dec 2024

Decoration

Decoration :
1. Sagar Samman Varuna Award: This is the highest category of such awards, granted for consistently exceptional and outstandingly all-round and leadership contributions made by an individual in the maritime sector, over time.

This award will comprise a statue of Lord Varuna and a Citation.

2. Sagar Samman Award for Excellence: This is the second highest category of such awards, granted for meritoriously excellent contributions, of a very high order, made all-round and consistently by an individual in the maritime sector, over time.
This award will comprise a Ship Model and a Citation.

3. Sagar Samman Award for Gallantry: This award is recognition of an exceptional act of outstanding bravery demonstrated in extraordinarily adverse circumstances in a maritime situation, including at risk to one's life.
This award will comprise a Trophy and a Citation to the Master/Person(s) concerned involved in the maritime gallantry concerned. In the case of an involvement of more than one seafarer in such gallantry, the names and ranks of all those involved therein will be cited prominently and individual medals shall be presented to all the seafarers involved.

No. of Awardees

1. Sagar Samman Varuna Award - One

2. Sagar Samman Award for Excellence - One

3. Sagar Samman Award for Gallantry - One or more

Who can nominate ?

Nominations for various SSAs may be submitted by any entity (i.e., individuals, companies, firms, associations, organizations etc.) in the prescribed format enclosed with the guidelines. Where self-nominations are made by individuals (natural persons), these should be accompanied by at least two recommendations made to that effect, in the prescribed format, by separate/distinct entities (viz. Eminent persons/organizations from the maritime sector), with their address, telephone no (s) and e-mail ID(s).

Selection Process

The National Maritime Day Celebrations (Central) Committee will send such nominations for evaluation to an Evaluation Committee. As decided in the NMDC(Central) Committee meeting held on 9thDecember 2019, Chairperson, NMDC(Central)Committee constitute an Evaluation Committee with 3 to 5 experts mostly of the rank of Additional Secretary and above every year to scrutinize the nominations received for NMD Awards. They will submit their final result along with detail reasons to the Chairperson, NMDC (Central) Committee. Final list of awardees will be declared by the Director General of Shipping.

1. The Member-Secretary, NMDC(C)C shall assist the Evaluation Committee in its deliberations.

2. No currently serving officer of the Government (Central/State/Union Territory) shall be considered for any award. Similarly, no such officer shall be considered for nomination as Chairperson of the Evaluation Committee.

3. The cooling-off period inter-se for any awardee to qualify again for either the ‘Sagar Samman Varuna Award’ and /or ‘Sagar Samman Award for Excellence’ will be five (5) years. Any nominee not awarded in a particular year would be eligible to be considered again during the subsequent year(s) if an application is submitted as per applicable procedures.

4. There would be no bar on an award being granted posthumously, subject to a maximum of five years from the demise of that entity (natural person). This is to ensure the element of relative contemporaneousness of the award.

5. If in any year if no nominee is found suitable for an award, the award shall not be given in that year.

6. The proceedings of the Evaluation Committee shall be governed by the aforesaid guidelines. Such proceedings shall be recorded in the form of formal minutes. These minutes, also comprising the recommendations for various categories of awards made by the Evaluation Committee, shall be furnished for consideration for their acceptance to the Chairperson, NMDC(C)C latest by the 15th of March of the given year

 

Ceremony Details

The names of the award winners will be announced by the Chairperson, NMDC(C)C by the 21st of March of the relevant year.