BHARAT RATNA — INDIA’S HIGHEST CIVILIAN AWARD

PRERNA FOR IAS

         Mehnat Aapki, Guidance Humari

         Roz ki Prelims Practice — Experts ke Saath

BHARAT RATNA — INDIA’S HIGHEST CIVILIAN AWARD

1. Introduction

• The Bharat Ratna is the highest civilian award of India.
• It was instituted on 2 January 1954 by the Government of India.
• The award recognises exceptional service or performance of the highest order in any field of human endeavour.
• The official scheme and list of recipients are maintained by the Ministry of Home Affairs. (Ministry of Home Affairs)

2. Nature of the Award

• Bharat Ratna is a national civilian honour and does not carry a monetary grant.
• The recipient receives a Sanad (certificate) signed by the President and a medallion.
• It is not a title and therefore cannot be used as a prefix or suffix to a person’s name.
• Recommendations are made by the Prime Minister to the President, and no formal public nomination process is prescribed.

3. First Bharat Ratna Awardees

• The first Bharat Ratna awards were given in 1954.
• The first three recipients were C. Rajagopalachari, Dr. Sarvepalli Radhakrishnan and Dr. C.V. Raman. (Padma Awards)
• Their selection represented distinction in public affairs, philosophy and education, and science.

4. C. Rajagopalachari

• Chakravarti Rajagopalachari was a freedom fighter, statesman and the last Governor-General of India.
• He played an important role in the national movement and post-Independence public life.
• He was among the three inaugural Bharat Ratna recipients in 1954.

5. Dr. Sarvepalli Radhakrishnan

• Dr. Radhakrishnan was an eminent philosopher, teacher, diplomat and statesman.
• He later served as the first Vice-President and the second President of India.
• His birthday, 5 September, is observed in India as Teachers’ Day.

6. Dr. C.V. Raman

• Physicist Chandrasekhara Venkata Raman received the Bharat Ratna in 1954 for his outstanding contribution to science.
• He discovered the Raman Effect, for which he received the Nobel Prize in Physics in 1930.
• His contribution established India prominently in modern scientific research.

7. Important Recipients

• Distinguished recipients include Jawaharlal Nehru, Govind Ballabh Pant, Lal Bahadur Shastri, Indira Gandhi, Mother Teresa, B.R. Ambedkar, Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel, A.P.J. Abdul Kalam and Pranab Mukherjee.
• Bharat Ratna has also recognised achievements in music, science, social reform, public affairs and sports.
• Sachin Tendulkar, awarded in 2014, became the first sportsperson to receive the honour. (President of India)

8. Posthumous Awards

• Bharat Ratna can be awarded posthumously.
• The first posthumous award was given to Lal Bahadur Shastri in 1966.
• In 2024, several honours were conferred posthumously, including on Karpoori Thakur, P.V. Narasimha Rao, Chaudhary Charan Singh and M.S. Swaminathan. (President of India)

9. Bharat Ratna Awards in 2024

• Five persons were selected for Bharat Ratna in 2024: Karpoori Thakur, L.K. Advani, P.V. Narasimha Rao, Chaudhary Charan Singh and M.S. Swaminathan. (Awards)
• Their contributions span social justice, politics, governance, economic reforms and agricultural science.
• No Bharat Ratna was announced in 2026; the Government awards database records zero Bharat Ratna awards for that year. (Padma Awards)

10. Significance

• Bharat Ratna symbolises the nation’s recognition of extraordinary and enduring contribution to public life and human achievement.
• Its recipients represent diverse fields including politics, science, education, social service, arts, culture and sports.
• For examination purposes, remember: instituted—1954; highest civilian award; first recipients—Rajagopalachari, Radhakrishnan and C.V. Raman; recommendation—Prime Minister; conferment—President of India.
• The award reflects the principle that exceptional national service may arise from any field of human endeavour, not merely politics or government service.