Mr Ganatra has been awarded the Padma Shri, the fourth highest civilian award for "rescuing people whenever there is fire, often putting himself in danger".
He told the BBC that he "just wanted to continue doing my work" in the eastern city of Kolkata.
Mr Ganatra has attended  more than 100 fires over four decades.
The 60-year-old was featured in Unsung Indians, a BBC series on people working to improve the lives of others.
Bipin Ganatra, a volunteer fire-fighter who was featured in a BBC series from India last year, has been given a prestigious government award.