Bharat Ratna” is the highest civilian award of the Republic of India. Instituted on 2 January 1954, the award is conferred “in recognition of exceptional service/performance of the highest order”, without distinction of race, occupation, position, or sex. The award was originally limited to achievements in the arts, literature, science, and public services, but the government expanded the criteria to include “any field of human endeavour” in December 2011.
Table of Contents
Key Points About the Bharat Ratna Award
- Medal and Presentation: The Bharat Ratna medal is a peepal leaf-shaped medallion with an embossed sunburst design, with India written in Devanagari script. On the reverse side, the state emblem of India and the motto “Satyameva Jayate” (Truth Alone Triumphs) is inscribed. The medal is accompanied by a Sanad (certificate) signed by the President of India.
- Recipients: The award has been bestowed upon a diverse group of people, including scientists, politicians, musicians, and social workers. Some of the most notable recipients include Jawaharlal Nehru (India’s first Prime Minister), C. Rajagopalachari (last Governor-General of India), Mother Teresa, Lata Mangeshkar (legendary playback singer), and A. P. J. Abdul Kalam (scientist and 11th President of India).
- Limitations: Originally, the number of annual awards was limited to three, but this restriction was removed in 1955. Although there’s no official limit, it’s rare for multiple people to receive it in the same year.
- Controversies: The awarding of Bharat Ratna has occasionally been a topic of controversy, with some critics suggesting that it has been awarded for political reasons rather than genuine merit in some cases.
- Non-Indian Recipients: Though primarily an Indian award, it’s not restricted to Indian citizens. Khan Abdul Ghaffar Khan (1987) and Nelson Mandela (1990) are two non-Indian recipients of the Bharat Ratna.
- Posthumous Award: Initially, the award was not given posthumously, but this rule was changed in 1955. Since then, several individuals, including Lal Bahadur Shastri, B. R. Ambedkar, and Rajendra Prasad, have been posthumously conferred with the Bharat Ratna.
- Not Mandatory: It’s not necessary for the Bharat Ratna to be awarded every year. There have been several years when the award was not conferred.
Bharat Ratna Award Winners List from 1954 to 2023
The Bharat Ratna, instituted in 1954, stands as India’s highest civilian honor. Bestowed for exceptional service in various fields, from arts and science to public service, it acknowledges unparalleled contributions to the nation and humanity. Recipients encompass a diverse group, including luminaries like Jawaharlal Nehru, C. V. Raman, and Mother Teresa. Notably, it’s not limited to Indian citizens; figures like Nelson Mandela have also been honored. By 2019, 48 individuals had been conferred this prestigious accolade.
The award, represented by a peepal-leaf-shaped medallion with an embossed sunburst design, is a testimony to the recipient’s outstanding commitment to their field. Despite its significance, the award’s bestowal has sometimes been a topic of debate, with allegations of political motivations. Nonetheless, the Bharat Ratna remains a symbol of the nation’s gratitude to its most distinguished contributors.
Here’s the list of Bharat Ratna awardees with a brief description for each:
| Year | Awardee | About |
|---|---|---|
| 1954 | C. Rajagopalachari | Last Governor-General of India |
| 1954 | Sarvepalli Radhakrishnan | First Vice-President and second President of India |
| 1954 | C.V. Raman | Nobel laureate physicist |
| 1955 | Bhagwan Das | Philosopher and Congress leader |
| 1955 | Mokshagundam Visvesvaraya | Engineer and Diwan of Mysore |
| 1955 | Jawaharlal Nehru | First Prime Minister of India |
| 1957 | Govind Ballabh Pant | Freedom fighter and Chief Minister of Uttar Pradesh |
| 1958 | Dhondo Keshav Karve | Social reformer and educator |
| 1961 | Bidhan Chandra Roy | Second Chief Minister of West Bengal |
| 1961 | Purushottam Das Tandon | Freedom fighter and educationist |
| 1962 | Rajendra Prasad | First President of India |
| 1963 | Zakir Husain | Third President of India |
| 1963 | Pandurang Vaman Kane | Indologist and Sanskrit scholar |
| 1966 | Lal Bahadur Shastri | Second Prime Minister of India (Posthumous) |
| 1971 | Indira Gandhi | Third Prime Minister of India |
| 1975 | V. V. Giri | Fourth President of India |
| 1976 | K. Kamaraj | Chief Minister of Tamil Nadu (Posthumous) |
| 1980 | Mother Teresa | Nobel laureate and founder of the Missionaries of Charity |
| 1983 | Vinoba Bhave | Social reformer and spiritual leader (Posthumous) |
| 1987 | Khan Abdul Ghaffar Khan | Independence activist |
| 1988 | M. G. Ramachandran | Chief Minister of Tamil Nadu (Posthumous) |
| 1990 | B. R. Ambedkar | Architect of the Indian Constitution (Posthumous) |
| 1990 | Nelson Mandela | Anti-apartheid revolutionary and President of South Africa |
| 1991 | Rajiv Gandhi | Sixth Prime Minister of India (Posthumous) |
| 1991 | Vallabhbhai Patel | Freedom fighter and Deputy Prime Minister of India (Posthumous) |
| 1991 | Morarji Desai | Fourth Prime Minister of India |
| 1992 | Maulana Abul Kalam Azad | Freedom fighter and first Education Minister (Posthumous) |
| 1992 | J. R. D. Tata | Industrialist |
| 1992 | Satyajit Ray | Filmmaker |
| 1997 | A. P. J. Abdul Kalam | Scientist and 11th President of India |
| 1997 | Gulzarilal Nanda | Interim Prime Minister of India |
| 1997 | Aruna Asaf Ali | Freedom fighter (Posthumous) |
| 1998 | M. S. Subbulakshmi | Classical Carnatic singer |
| 1998 | Chidambaram Subramaniam | Agricultural modernization minister |
| 1999 | Jayaprakash Narayan | Freedom fighter (Posthumous) |
| 1999 | Ravi Shankar | Classical sitarist |
| 1999 | Amartya Sen | Nobel laureate economist |
| 2001 | Lata Mangeshkar | Playback singer |
| 2001 | Bismillah Khan | Classical shehnai player |
| 2009 | Bhimsen Joshi | Classical Hindustani singer |
| 2014 | C. N. R. Rao | Scientist and chemist |
| 2014 | Sachin Tendulkar | Cricketer |
| 2015 | Madan Mohan Malaviya | Educationist (Posthumous) |
| 2015 | Atal Bihari Vajpayee | Tenth Prime Minister of India |
| 2019 | Pranab Mukherjee | Thirteenth President of India |
| 2019 | Bhupen Hazarika | Singer and lyricist (Posthumous) |
| 2019 | Nanaji Deshmukh | Social worker (Posthumous) |
First Bharat Ratna Award
The Bharat Ratna was instituted to recognize exceptional service in various fields. However, it’s essential to note that initially, the Bharat Ratna was conferred without specific categorization into different fields. Over the years, recipients have come from diverse backgrounds, making significant contributions in their respective domains. Here are the first recipients in some broadly defined fields:
- Public Service and Leadership: The first recipient, C. Rajagopalachari (1954), was a freedom fighter, last Governor-General of India, and an eminent leader.
- Education and Philosophy: In 1954, Dr. Sarvepalli Radhakrishnan, a philosopher, educator, and the first Vice-President (later the second President) of India, received the award.
- Science: The first scientist to receive the award was C.V. Raman in 1954 for his pioneering work in the field of physics, particularly for the discovery of the Raman Effect.
- Social Work and Humanitarian Efforts: Mother Teresa (1980) was the first to be recognized primarily for her humanitarian efforts and services to the poor.
- Arts and Music: M.S. Subbulakshmi (1998), the renowned Carnatic classical singer, was the first in the domain of arts and music.
- Sports: Sachin Tendulkar (2014) became the first sportsperson to receive the Bharat Ratna for his exceptional contribution to cricket.
- Industry and Commerce: J.R.D. Tata (1992) was recognized for his enormous contributions to industry and civil aviation.
Also Read : Claudia Goldin 2023 Nobel Prize in Economic Sciences:
Bharat Ratna Award 2022
In 2022, the prestigious Bharat Ratna, India’s highest civilian honor, was not conferred upon any individual. This award, which acknowledges unparalleled contributions in various domains, has seen intermittent years when no recipients were chosen. 2022 was one such year when the nation did not bestow this accolade on any distinguished personality.
