Bharat Ratna Award Winners, Check Updated List From 1954 to 2024
Bharat Ratna Award Winners: Bharat Ratna is the highest civilian award of the country inaugurated in 1954. Inaugural award was given to 3 emminent personalities. Check complete Bharat Ratna Award Winners List.
Parul Rishi28 Mar, 2024
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Bharat Ratna Award Winners: The Bharat Ratna is the highest honor given to people who have done outstanding things in any area of life, like science, politics, or social work. It was started in 1954.
Some of the first people to get this award were famous scientists like Dr. Chandrasekhara Venkata Raman, leaders like C. Rajagopalachari who fought for India's freedom, and important figures like Sarvepalli Radhakrishnan, who was India's first Vice President. Since then, many other remarkable people have also received this prestigious award for their incredible achievements. Check complete Bharat Ratna Award Winners List here.Bharat Ratna Award Winners
The Bharat Ratna award is the most important award given to civilians in India. It was started in 1954. People get this award for doing really great things in different areas like writing, science, and art. Anyone, no matter what job they do or who they are, can get the Bharat Ratna award. Each year, a maximum of 3 people can get this award. The President of India gives out this award. Sometimes, people get this award even after they've passed away. So far, 16 people have gotten the Bharat Ratna award after they died.Bharat Ratna Award Winners List
48 individuals have received the Bharat Ratna award, with 17 of them being honored posthumously. Below is a list of these remarkable individuals and their significant contributions to society.| Bharat Ratna Award Winners List | ||
|---|---|---|
| Year | Laureates | Brief Description |
| 1954 | C. Rajagopalachari | Indian independence activist, statesman, and lawyer. Last Governor-General of independent India. |
| Sarvepalli Radhakrishnan | India's first Vice President and second President. His birthday celebrated as "Teachers' Day" in India. | |
| C. V. Raman | Renowned for his work on Raman scattering. Received Nobel Prize in Physics in 1930. | |
| 1955 | Bhagwan Das | Independence activist, philosopher, and co-founder of Mahatma Gandhi Kashi Vidyapith. |
| M. Visvesvaraya | Civil engineer, statesman, and Diwan of Mysore. His birthday celebrated as "Engineer's Day" in India. | |
| Jawaharlal Nehru | Independence activist and India's first Prime Minister. | |
| 1957 | Govind Ballabh Pant | Independence activist and premier of the United Provinces. |
| 1958 | Dhondo Keshav Karve | Social reformer known for his work in women's education and widow remarriage. |
| 1961 | Bidhan Chandra Roy | Physician, politician, and considered "Maker of Modern West Bengal". |
| Purushottam Das Tandon | Independence activist and speaker of the United Provinces Legislative Assembly. | |
| 1962 | Rajendra Prasad | Independence activist and first President of India. |
| 1963 | Zakir Husain | Independence activist and third President of India. |
| Pandurang Vaman Kane | Indologist and Sanskrit scholar known for his work on the History of Dharmasastra. | |
| 1966 | Lal Bahadur Shastri | Second Prime Minister of India known for "Jai Jawan Jai Kisan" slogan. |
| 1971 | Indira Gandhi | First female Prime Minister of India known for her leadership during the Indo-Pakistani War of 1971. |
| 1975 | V. V. Giri | Fourth President of India known for his involvement in labor unions and Indian freedom struggle. |
| K. Kamaraj | Independence activist & former Chief Minister of Tamil Nadu. | |
| 1980 | Mother Teresa | Catholic nun and founder of Missionaries of Charity. Awarded Nobel Peace Prize in 1979. |
| 1983 | Vinoba Bhave | Independence activist and founder of Bhoodan movement. |
| 1987 | Khan Abdul Ghaffar Khan | Independence activist known as "Frontier Gandhi". |
| M. G. Ramachandran | Actor turned politician and former Chief Minister of Tamil Nadu. | |
| 1990 | B. R. Ambedkar | Social reformer, Dalit leader, and Chief architect of the Indian Constitution. |
| Nelson Mandela | Anti-Apartheid leader and President of South Africa. | |
| 1991 | Rajiv Gandhi | 9th Prime Minister of India. |
| Vallabhbhai Patel | Independence activist and first Deputy Prime Minister of India. | |
| Morarji Desai | Independence activist and sixth Prime Minister of India. | |
| 1992 | Abul Kalam Azad | Independence activist and India's first Minister of Education. |
| J. R. D. Tata | Industrialist and founder of various institutes. | |
| Satyajit Ray | Film-maker known for bringing world recognition to Indian cinema. | |
| 1997 | Gulzarilal Nanda | Two-time interim Prime Minister of India. |
| Aruna Asaf Ali | Independence activist known for hoisting the Indian flag during the Quit India Movement. | |
| A. P. J. Abdul Kalam | Aerospace and defense scientist and former President of India. | |
| 1998 | M. S. Subbulakshmi | Carnatic classical vocalist known as "Queen of songs". |
| Chidambaram Subramaniam | Independence activist and former Minister of Agriculture known for Green Revolution. | |
| 1999 | Jayaprakash Narayan | Independence activist and social reformer. Known for "Total Revolution Movement". |
| Amartya Sen | Nobel Prize-winning economist known for his research in welfare economics and social choice theory. | |
| Gopinath Bordoloi | First Chief Minister of Assam and known for his efforts to keep Assam united with India. | |
| Ravi Shankar | Sitar player and Grammy Award winner. | |
| 2001 | Lata Mangeshkar | Playback singer known as the "Nightingale of India". |
| Bismillah Khan | Hindustani classical shehnai player. | |
| 2009 | Bhimsen Joshi | Hindustani classical vocalist. |
| 2014 | C. N. R. Rao | Chemist and professor known for his work in solid-state and materials chemistry. |
| Sachin Tendulkar | Cricketer known for numerous records in international cricket. | |
| 2015 | Madan Mohan Malaviya | Scholar and educational reformer known for founding Banaras Hindu University. |
| Atal Bihari Vajpayee | Former Prime Minister of India known for his contributions to Indian politics. | |
| 2019 | Pranab Mukherjee | Former President of India and senior leader in the Indian National Congress. |
| Nanaji Deshmukh | Social activist and member of RSS. | |
| Bhupen Hazarika | Playback singer, musician, and film-maker. | |
| 2024 | Karpoori Thakur | Eleventh Chief Minister of Bihar known for instituting reservation policy for state government jobs. |
| L. K. Advani | Former Deputy Prime Minister of India known for his role in the Ram Janmabhoomi movement. | |
| P. V. Narasimha Rao | Ninth Prime Minister of India known for significant economic reforms. | |
| Charan Singh | Fifth Prime Minister of India known for championing farmers' rights. | |
| M. S. Swaminathan | Agricultural scientist known as "Father of the Green Revolution in India". | |
Bharat Ratna Award Winner 2024
Posthumous Tribute to Karpoori Thakur
Karpoori Thakur, a distinguished socialist leader and former Chief Minister of Bihar, will posthumously receive the Bharat Ratna, India’s highest civilian honor. The prestigious announcement of this award aligns perfectly with the eve of his 100th birth anniversary, acknowledging and honoring his remarkable contributions.Recognition for Lal Krishna Advani
Lal Krishna Advani, a seasoned leader of the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), has been chosen as a recipient of the Bharat Ratna Award for 2024. Prime Minister Narendra Modi made this decision on 3rd February 2024, acknowledging Advani’s substantial impact on Indian politics and public service.Honoring Outstanding Service
The Bharat Ratna, a symbol of utmost distinction, will also be conferred upon three exemplary individuals whose efforts have profoundly shaped the nation:- PV Narasimha Rao: Former Prime Minister renowned for his important economic reforms.
- Chaudhary Charan Singh: Former Prime Minister and champion of farmers' rights.
- MS Swaminathan: Eminent agricultural scientist recognized as the "Father of the Green Revolution in India."
Bharat Ratna Award Winner, First Recipient
The inaugural Bharat Ratna awards were given to three eminent individuals in 1954:- C. Rajagopalachari, a distinguished politician.
- Sarvepalli Radhakrishnan, a renowned philosopher.
- CV Raman, a pioneering scientist.
Bharat Ratna Award Winner, Youngest Recipient
Sachin Tendulkar, the legendary cricketer, became the youngest Bharat Ratna awardee in 2014, at the age of 40. His exceptional contributions to cricket earned him this esteemed honor.Bharat Ratna Award Winner, Oldest Recipient
Dhondo Keshav Karve, a revered social reformer, received the Bharat Ratna on his 100th birthday in 1958, marking a momentous occasion in the history of the award.Bharat Ratna Award Fact
Bharat Ratna Award Winners FAQs
When was the Bharat Ratna Award introduced?
The Bharat Ratna Award was introduced in 1954.
Who was the first recipient of Bharat Ratna Award?
The first Bharat Ratna Award recipient was C.V. Raman.
How many Bharat Ratna can be given in a year?
Maximum of 3 persons that can be awarded the Bharat Ratna in a year.
Who were the first recipients of the Bharat Ratna?
The first recipients of the Bharat Ratna were:
1. C. Rajagopalachari (Governor-General of the Dominion of India)
2. Sarvepalli Radhakrishnan (President and the first Vice President of India)
3. Physicist C. V. Raman (Nobel Prize Laureate)
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