Introduction to Bharat Ratna
Bharat Ratna Award Winners- The Bharat Ratna is India’s highest civilian award, conferred for exceptional service in various fields such as arts, science, public affairs, and literature. Established in 1954, the award recognizes extraordinary contributions to society, without regard for race, occupation, position, or gender. The first recipients were C. Rajagopalachari, Sarvepalli Radhakrishnan, and C. V. Raman.
In 2024, five prominent personalities, including L.K. Advani and M.S. Swaminathan, received the Bharat Ratna, showcasing India’s commitment to honoring its esteemed contributors across diverse sectors.
What is the Bharat Ratna Award?
The Bharat Ratna is awarded by the President of India based on recommendations from the Prime Minister. A maximum of three awards can be given each year, although exceptions are sometimes made. Recipients receive a medal in the shape of a peepal leaf and a citation but do not receive any monetary allowance.
List of Bharat Ratna Award Winners (1954-2024)
Here’s the complete list of Bharat Ratna awardees by year:
| Year | Laureate | Brief Description |
| 1954 | C. Rajagopalachari | Last Governor-General of India, Indian independence activist |
| Sarvepalli Radhakrishnan | First Vice President and second President of India | |
| C. V. Raman | Nobel Laureate in Physics for his work on the scattering of light | |
| 1955 | Bhagwan Das | Philosopher and educationist |
| M. Visvesvaraya | Civil engineer and Diwan of Mysore; celebrated as Engineer’s Day | |
| Jawaharlal Nehru | First Prime Minister of India | |
| 1957 | Govind Ballabh Pant | First Chief Minister of Uttar Pradesh and Union Home Minister |
| 1958 | Dhondo Keshav Karve | Social reformer, founder of SNDT Women’s University |
| 1961 | Bidhan Chandra Roy | Second Chief Minister of West Bengal; National Doctors’ Day named in his honor |
| Purushottam Das Tandon | Independence activist and proponent of Hindi as a national language | |
| 1962 | Rajendra Prasad | First President of India |
| 1963 | Zakir Husain | Third President of India; educationist and economist |
| Pandurang Vaman Kane | Indologist and scholar, best known for his work on Dharmashastra | |
| 1966 | Lal Bahadur Shastri | Second Prime Minister of India; known for the slogan “Jai Jawan Jai Kisan” |
| 1971 | Indira Gandhi | First female Prime Minister of India, known as the “Iron Lady of India” |
| 1975 | V. V. Giri | Fourth President of India; active in labor movements |
| 1976 | K. Kamaraj | Chief Minister of Tamil Nadu, known for his efforts in education |
| 1980 | Mother Teresa | Founder of Missionaries of Charity, Nobel Peace Prize laureate |
| 1983 | Vinoba Bhave | Social reformer, known for the Bhoodan (land gift) movement |
| 1987 | Khan Abdul Ghaffar Khan | “Frontier Gandhi”, Pashtun leader and independence activist |
| 1988 | M. G. Ramachandran | Actor and three-time Chief Minister of Tamil Nadu |
| 1990 | B. R. Ambedkar | Architect of the Indian Constitution and Dalit rights advocate |
| Nelson Mandela | Anti-apartheid leader and President of South Africa | |
| 1991 | Rajiv Gandhi | Ninth Prime Minister of India |
| Vallabhbhai Patel | “Iron Man of India” and first Deputy Prime Minister | |
| Morarji Desai | Sixth Prime Minister of India; only Indian to receive Nishan-e-Pakistan | |
| 1992 | Abul Kalam Azad | First Minister of Education and proponent of free primary education |
| J. R. D. Tata | Industrialist and founder of Air India | |
| Satyajit Ray | Renowned filmmaker, known for his works in Indian cinema | |
| 1997 | Gulzarilal Nanda | Interim Prime Minister of India (twice) |
| Aruna Asaf Ali | Independence activist, known for her role in the Quit India Movement | |
| A. P. J. Abdul Kalam | Aerospace scientist and 11th President of India | |
| 1998 | M. S. Subbulakshmi | Legendary Carnatic vocalist |
| Chidambaram Subramaniam | Minister of Agriculture, known for his role in India’s Green Revolution | |
| 1999 | Jayaprakash Narayan | Social reformer, known for the “JP Movement” against corruption |
| Amartya Sen | Nobel Prize-winning economist, known for his work on welfare economics | |
| Gopinath Bordoloi | First Chief Minister of Assam, known for his efforts in Assam’s integration | |
| Ravi Shankar | Sitar virtuoso, popularized Indian classical music globally | |
| 2001 | Lata Mangeshkar | Legendary playback singer, known as the “Nightingale of India” |
| Bismillah Khan | Classical shehnai player | |
| 2009 | Bhimsen Joshi | Hindustani classical vocalist |
| 2014 | C. N. R. Rao | Renowned chemist and professor |
| Sachin Tendulkar | Cricket icon, first sports personality to receive Bharat Ratna | |
| 2015 | Madan Mohan Malaviya | Founder of Banaras Hindu University |
| Atal Bihari Vajpayee | Former Prime Minister of India | |
| 2019 | Pranab Mukherjee | 13th President of India |
| Nanaji Deshmukh | Social activist focused on rural development | |
| Bhupen Hazarika | Singer, lyricist, and filmmaker from Assam | |
| 2024 | Karpoori Thakur | Former Chief Minister of Bihar and advocate for social justice |
| L. K. Advani | Deputy Prime Minister, key figure in Ram Janmabhoomi movement | |
| P. V. Narasimha Rao | Ninth Prime Minister, known for economic reforms | |
| Charan Singh | Fifth Prime Minister, focused on farmers’ rights and agrarian reforms | |
| M. S. Swaminathan | Father of India’s Green Revolution |
Interesting Facts About Bharat Ratna
- Established in 1954: The Bharat Ratna was first conferred in 1954 to C. Rajagopalachari, Sarvepalli Radhakrishnan, and C.V. Raman.
- Medal Design: The Bharat Ratna medal is shaped like a peepal leaf and includes the Indian emblem and the words “Bharat Ratna.”
- International Recipients: Only two non-Indians have received the Bharat Ratna – Khan Abdul Ghaffar Khan (1987) and Nelson Mandela (1990).
- Posthumous Awards: The award can be given posthumously; notable posthumous recipients include M. G. Ramachandran and Rajiv Gandhi.
- Highest Sports Recognition: Sachin Tendulkar is the only sportsperson to receive the Bharat Ratna.
Only Three Awardees Per Year: A maximum of three individuals can receive the Bharat Ratna in a single year, although exceptions have occurred.
Also Read Latest Current Affairs 2024
Bharat Ratna is India’s highest civilian award, recognizing exceptional service in various fields.
The first recipients were C. Rajagopalachari, Sarvepalli Radhakrishnan, and C.V. Raman in 1954.
Sachin Tendulkar is the only sportsperson to have received the Bharat Ratna.
The Prime Minister recommends the recipients to the President of India.
A maximum of three awards can be given each year.
Yes, the award can be conferred posthumously.
Indira Gandhi was the first female recipient, awarded in 1971.
Karpoori Thakur, L.K. Advani, P.V. Narasimha Rao, Charan Singh, and M.S. Swaminathan received the award in 2024.
Yes, foreign nationals can be awarded. Notable recipients include Nelson Mandela and Khan Abdul Ghaffar Khan.
No, Bharat Ratna awardees receive a medal and citation but no cash prize.
