The highest Civilian Award in India is “Bharata Ratna”, which means “Gem of India”. Bharata Ratna is awarded for services rendered in the fields of:-

• Art
• Literature
• Science
• Public service of high orders
  

The Bharata Ratna award was established along with the following other awards:-

• Padma Vibhusan
• Padma Bhusan
• Padma Shri

which are called Padma awards, on 2nd January 1954 by the first President of India Babu Rajendra Prasad.

The Bharata Ratna award was kept suspended from 13th July 1977 to 26th January 1980.

So far Bharata Ratna award has been given to 41 persons including the following three foreigners:-

• Mother Theresa belonging to the Republic of Macedonia
• Khan Abdul Ghaffar Khan belonging to Pakistan
  
• Nelson Mandela belonging to South Africa
  

As the Bharata Ratna award was originally not intended to be given posthumous, the father of the nation Mahatma Gandhi has not yet been awarded Bharat Ratna award. After January 1955 provision was made for issue of posthumous Bharat Ratna award.

The following is the list of Bharata Ratna awardees from 1954 to 2008:-

Bharata Ratna awarded in 1954:-

1. Sir Sarvepalli Radhakrishnan (1888–1975)-
The Second President and the First Vice President of India, A Philosopher belonging to Tamil Nadu whose birthday is commemorated as “Teachers’ Day”-

2. Chakravarti Rajagopalachari (1878–1972)-
The last Governor General of British India who was also a Freedom Fighter, belonging to Tamilnadu
3.Sir C. V. Raman ( 1888–1970)- Nobel-prize winning Physicist belonging to Tamil Nadu

Bharata Ratna Awarded in 1955:-

4.Sri. Bhagwan Das (1869–1958)- A Man of Literature and a Freedom Fighter belonging to Uttar Pradesh

5.Sir Mokshagundam Visvesvarayya(1861–1962)- A Civil Engineer
and Dam Architect, A Diwan of Princely state of Mysore Karnataka
6.Jawaharlal Nehru (1889–1964)- The First Prime Minister of India
and a Freedom Fighter Writer belonging to Uttar Pradesh

Bharata Ratna awarded in 1957:-

7. Mr. Govind Ballabh Pant(1887–1961)- A Freedom Fighter and
Home Minister of Indian Union belonging to Uttar Pradesh, now
Uttarakhand

Bharata Ratna awarded in 1958:-

8. Dhondo Keshav Karve (1858–1962) –An Educationist and a
Social Reformer belonging to Maharashtra- Awarded Bharata
Ratna in his birth centenary year 1958

Bharata Ratna awarded in 1961:-

9. Dr. B. C. Roy (1882–1962)_ A Physician, Politician and Former
Chief Minister of West Bengal belonging to West Bengal

10.Mr.Purushottam Das Tandon (1882–1962)- A Freedom Fighter
and an Educationist belonging to Uttar Pradesh

Bharata Ratna awarded in 1963:-

11. Dr.(Babu) Rajendra Prasad (1884–1963)- The first President of
India, a Freedom Fighter and a Jurist belonging to Bihar

12. Dr. Zakir Hussain (1897–1969)-Former President of India and a Scholar belonging to Andhra Pradesh

13. Mr.Pandurang Vaman Kane (1880–1972)- Indologist and Sanskrit scholar belonging to Maharashtra

Bharata Ratna awarded in 1966:-

14. Lal Bahadur Shastri (1904–1966)- Awarded Posthumous-The Second Prime Minister of India a Freedom Fighter belonging to Uttar Pradesh
Bharata Ratna awarded in 1971:-
15.Mrs. Indira Gandhi –(1917–1984)- Former and the first and the only Lady Prime Minister of India belonging to Uttar Pradesh

Bharata Ratna awarded in 1975:-

16.Mr.V. V. Giri (1894–1980)- Former President- Trade Unionist
belonging to Orissa

Bharata Ratna awarded in 1976:-
17.Mr.K. Kamaraj (1903–1975)-Awarded Posthumous-A Freedom Fighter- Former Chief Minister of Tamil Nadu belonging to Tamil Nadu

Bharata Ratna awarded in 1980:-
18.Mother Teresa(1910–1997)- A Nobel Laureate (For Peace, 1979) belonging to the Republic of Macedonia- A foreigner dedicated to the Sick people of India especially for those who were affected by Leprosy

Bharata Ratna awarded in 1983:-

19.Acharya Vinoba Bhave (1895–1982)-Awarded Posthumous- A Social Reformer and a Freedom Fighter belonging to Maharashtra

Bharata Ratna awarded in 1987:-20.Mr.Khan Abdul Ghaffar Khan, known as "Frontier Gandhi", (1890–1988)-The first non-citizen awarded Bharata Ratna- A Freedom Fighter belonging to Pakistan

Bharata Ratna awarded in 1988:-
21.Mr. M. G. Ramachandran (1917–1987)- Awarded Posthumous-Former Chief Minister of Tamil Nadu- Popular Cinema Actor belonging to Tamil Nadu
Bharata Ratna awarded in 1990:-
22.Dr.B. R. Ambedkar (1891–1956)-Awarded Posthumous- An Architect who played a key role in the formation of the Indian Constitution, a Social Reformer, Economist and Scholar belonging to Maharashtra
23.Dr.Nelson Mandela-Born in 1918-The Second non-citizen and the first non-Indian awarded Bharata Ratna- A Leader of Anti-Apartheid movement belonging to South Africa

Bharata Ratna awarded in 1991:-

24.Mr.Rajiv Gandhi (1944–1991)- Awarded Posthumous- Former Prime Minister of India belonging to New Delhi

25.Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel (1875–1950)-Awarded Posthumous- A Freedom Fighter and the First Home Minister of India belonging to Gujarat

26.Mr.Morarji Desai (1896–1995)- A Former Prime Minister and a Freedom Fighter belonging to Gujarat

Bharata Ratna awarded in 1992:-

27.Mr. Maulana Abul Kalam Azad (1888–1958) –Awarded Posthumous- A Freedom Fighter and the First Education Minister of India belonging to West Bengal
28.Mr.J. R. D. Tata (1904–1993)- An Industrialist and a philanthropist belonging to Maharashtra
29.Mr.Satyajit Ray (1922–1992)- A popular Film Director-An Oscar winner belonging to West Bengal

Bharata Ratna awarded in 1997:-

30. Dr. A.P.J. Abdul Kalam- Born in 1931- A Former President- Atomic Scientist belonging to Tamil Nadu

31.Mr.Gulzarilal Nanda (1898–1998)-A Freedom Fighter and a former Prime Minister of India belonging to Punjab

32. Mr.Aruna Asaf Ali (1908–1996)-Awarded Posthumous-A Freedom Fighter belonging to West Bengal

Bharata Ratna awarded in 1998:-

33.Mrs.M. S. Subbulakshmi (1916–2004)- A Carnatic music vocalist belonging to Tamil Nadu

34.Mr.Chidambaram Subramaniam (1910–2000)- A Freedom Fighter and former Minister of Agriculture called the Father of Green revolution belonging to Tamil Nadu
35.Mr.Jayaprakash Narayan (1902–1979)- Awarded Posthumous- A Freedom Fighter and a Social Reformer belonging to Bihar

Bharata Ratna awarded in 1999:-36.Pandit Ravi Shankar- Born in 1920- A Classical sitar player belonging to Uttar Pradesh

37. Dr.Amartya Sen- Born in 1933- A Nobel Laureate ( For Economics, 1998), An Economist belonging to West Bengal

38. Mr.Gopinath Bordoloi (1890–1950)-Awarded Posthumous- A freedom fighter belonging to Assam

Bharata Ratna awarded in 2001:-
39.Ms.Lata Mangeshkar- Born in 1929- A popular Play back singer belonging to Maharashtra

40.Ustad Bismillah Khan (1916-2006)- A Classical Shehnai Maestro belonging to Bihar

Bharata Ratna awarded in 2008:-
41.Pandit Bhimsen Joshi-Born in 1922- A Hindustani classical vocalist belonging to Karnataka

The following are the alive Indians who have been awarded Bharata Ratna award:-

• Dr.A.P.J Abdul Kalam (1997)
  
• Mr.Ravi Shankar (1999)
• Dr.Amartya Sen (1999)
• Mrs.Lata Mangeshkar (2001)
• Mr.Bhimsen Joshi (2008)
  

The foreign Recipient of the Bharta Ratna award who is still alive is Dr.Nelson Mandela (1990)

Tag India