List of the “Bharat Ratna Award” – Recipients from 1954 Till Date

 

The “Bharat  Ratna” Award is the highest Civilian Award given by the Union Government of India.  

The”Bharat Ratna” Award  was established on 2nd January 1954 by the first President of India Babu Rajendra Prasad. along with the following other awards which are called “Padma Awards”:-

  • Padma Vibhusan
  • Padma Bhusan
  • Padma Shri

The “Bharat  Ratna” Award had been awarded since the year 1954, only for the highest degrees of national services rendered in the fields of:-

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

To enable eminent Indian- “Sports-Persons” to receive the  nation’s highest civilian award, the Government of India modified the eligibility criteria for “Bharat Ratna” in the year 2011,from the earlier criteria- “for the highest degrees of national service” to “for performance of highest order in any field of human endeavor

The Bharat  Ratna award had been kept suspended from 13th July 1977 to 26th January 1980.

So far Bharat  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

The Bharat  Ratna award was originally not intended to be given posthumous. After January 1955 provision was made for issue of posthumous Bharat Ratna award.

The ‘Padma’ Awards-‘Padma Shree’, ‘Padma Bhushan’ & ‘Padam Vibhushan’ and the ‘Bharat Ratna’ Award must not be prefixed or suffixed to the name of the awardees, in any of their-letter heads, visiting cards and elsewhere, which is illegal and unconstitutional.

However, it may be mentioned that the awardee has been ‘awarded’ such an award by the President of India, or the awardee is the ‘recipient’ of the such and award.

The following is a list of Bharat Ratna Awardees from 1954 till date:

Bharat  Ratna- Awardees-1954 (3):

1. Sir SARVEPALLI RADHAKRISHNAN  (1888–1975)

Dr. S.Radhakrishnan was the ‘Second President of India ‘ and the ‘First Vice President of India’, The birthday of Dr.Radhakrishnan of Tamil Nadu is commemorated as “Teachers’ Day”.

2. CHAKRAVARTHI RAJAGOPALACHARY  (1878–1972)

Rajaji

Chakravarthi Rajagopalacharya, known as ‘Rajaji’ was an Indian  Freedom Fighter  from Tamilnadu. He had been  the last Governor General of British India.

3.Sir CHANDRA SEKHARA VENKATA RAMAN  ( 1888–1970)

Sir Chandra Sekhara Venkata Raman known as Sir  C.V.Raman was a great Physicist from Tamil Nadu. He had received ‘Nobel Prize for Physics’ in the year 1930.for his work on the scattering of light and for the discovery of the effect named after him- “Raman Effect”.

Bharat  Ratna- Awardees-1955: (3)

4.Sri.BHAGAWAN DAS (1869–1958)-
Dr Bagavan Das

Dr. Bhagawan Das was a ‘Man of Literature’ and an Indian Freedom Fighter from Uttar Pradesh

5.Sir MOKSHAGUNDAM VISVESVARAYYA  (1861–1962)Sir M Visvesvarayya
Sir Visvesvarayya was a Diwan of the Princely State of Karnataka. He had been a Civil Engineer &  Dam Architect,

 6.Pandit JAWHARLAL NEHRU  (1889–1964)Pandit Jawaharlal NehruPandit Jawaharlal Nehru was an Indian Freedom Fighter and a ‘Man of Letters’ from Uttar Pradesh. He had been one of the main architects of the Free & Republic  India. Also, he was the First Prime Minister of India.

Bharat  Ratna -Awardee- 1957 (1):

7. Mr. GOVIND BALLBH PANT  (1887–1961)

Govind Ballabh Pant
Mr. Govind Ballabh Pant was an Indian  Freedom Fighter from Uttar Pradesh (Now Uttar Khandand. He had been the 4th  Home Minister of India from 10th January 1955 to 7th March 1961.

Bharat Ratna – Awardee- 1958 (1):

8. Mr. DHONDO KESHAV KARVE  (1858–1962)Dhondo Keshav KarveMr.Dhondo Keshav Karve, known as ‘Maharishi Karve’ was an Educationist and a Social Reformer in the field of ‘Women Welfare” from  Maharashtra.

Bharat  Ratna -Awardees-1961 (2):

9. Dr. B.C.ROY  (1882–1962)
Dr.B C Roy

Dr. B.C.Roy was a Physician &  Politician from West Bengal. He had been a Chief Minister of West Bengal.

10.Mr.PURUSHOTTAM DAS TANDON (1882–1962)Purushottam Das Tandon.Mr.Purushottam Das Tandon was an Indian Freedom Fighter and an Educationist from  Uttar Pradesh

Bharat Ratna-Awardees-1963 (3):


11. Dr. RAJENDRA PRASAD (1884–1963)Dr Babu Rajendra Prasad

Dr. Rajendra Prasad, fondly called ‘Babu Rajendra Prasad’ was an Indian  Freedom Fighter and a Jurist from Bihar. He had been the First President of India from 26th January 1950 to 12th May 1962 for 12 long years.

12. Dr. ZAKIR HUSSAIN  (1897–1969)Dr Zahir Hussain Dr. Zakir Hussain was a scholar from Andhdra Pradesh. He had been the  3rd President of India.from 13th May 1967 to 3rd May 1967.

13. Mr.PANDURAN VAMAN KANE 1880–1972)

Pandurang Vaman Kane

Mr. Pandurang Vaman Kane was an Indologist and Sanskrit scholar from Maharashtra.

Bharat  Ratna- Awardee-1966 1:

14. Mr. LAL BAHADUR SHASTRI  (1904–1966)

Lal Bahadur Shastri

Mr. Lal Bahadur Shastri was an Indian Freedom Fighter from Uttar Pradesh. He was the second Prime Minister of India from 9th June 1964 to 11th January 1966. He was awarded Bharat Ratna Award posthumously.

Bharat  Ratna-Awardee-1971:

 15.Mrs. Indira Gandhi –(1917–1984)-

Indira Gandhi

Former and the first and the only Lady Prime Minister of India belonging to Uttar Pradesh

Bharat  Ratna Awardee-1975:

16.Mr.V. V. Giri (1894–1980)-

V V Giri

Former President- Trade Unionist belonging to Orissa

Bharat  Ratna-Awardee-1976:

17.Mr.K. Kamaraj (1903–1975)- 

K Kamaraj 

Awarded Posthumous-A Freedom Fighter- Former Chief Minister of Tamil Nadu belonging to Tamil Nadu

Bharat  Ratna -Awardee-1980:

18.Mother Teresa (1910–1997)-

Mother Teresa

“The Third “Non-Indian-Citizen” Awarded the Bharat Ratna-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

Bharat  Ratna-Awardee-1983:-

19.Acharya Vinoba Bhave (1895–1982)-

Acharya Vinoba Bhave 
Awarded Posthumous– A Social Reformer and a Freedom Fighter belonging to Maharashtra

Bharat  Ratna-Awardee-1987:

20.Mr.Khan Abdul Ghaffar Khan, known as “Frontier Gandhi”, (1890–1988)-

Frontier Gandhi Khan Abdul Ghaffar Khan

The First “Non-Indian-Citizen” awarded Bharata Ratna- A Freedom Fighter belonging to Pakistan

Bharat  Ratna -Awardee-1988:


21.Mr. M. G. Ramachandran (1917–1987)-

M G Ramachandran 
Awarded Posthumous-Former Chief Minister of Tamil Nadu- Popular Cinema Actor belonging to Tamil Nadu

Bharat  Ratna-Awardees-1990:

22.Dr.B. R. Ambedkar (1891–1956)-
Dr B R Ambedkar 
Awarded Posthumously

Dr.B.R.Ambedkar had played a key role in the formation of the ‘Indian Constitution’ and he has been a Social Reformer, Economist and Scholar, belonging to Maharashtra / Madhya Pradesh /India.

(Dr.B.R.Ambedkar born in Madhya Pradesh to the Marathi parents from Maharashtra.)

Dr.B.R.Ambedkar was born in ‘Mhow’-Town in the Military Cantonment area in the then Central Provinces, now in Madhya Pradesh.

His father Subhedar Ramji Maloji Sakpal, a ‘British Indian  Army Office’r, who had been posted at’ Mhow Town’, from a (poor ‘Mahar’, a dalit caste treated as untouchables) Marathi Family of Ambavade Town in Mandangad Taluk in Ratnagiri District, which is now in Maharashtra.

23.Dr.Nelson Mandela– (1918-2013)

Dr Nelson Mandela 
The Second “Non-Indian-Citizen” awarded Bharat  Ratna- A Leader of Anti-Apartheid movement belonging to South Africa

Bharat  Ratna-Awardees-1991:

24.Mr.Rajiv Gandhi (1944–1991)-

Rajiv Gandhi 
Awarded Posthumous– Former Prime Minister of India belonging to New Delhi

25.Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel (1875–1950)-

Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel 

Awarded Posthumous– A Freedom Fighter and the First Home Minister of India belonging to Gujarat

26.Mr.Morarji Desai (1896–1995)-

Morarji Desai

A Former Prime Minister and a Freedom Fighter belonging to Gujarat

Bharat  Ratna -Awardees-1992:

27.Mr. Maulana Abul Kalam Azad (1888–1958) –

 Maulana Abul Kalam Azad 
Awarded Posthumous– A Freedom Fighter and the First Education Minister of India belonging to West Bengal

28.Mr.J. R. D. Tata (1904–1993)-

J R D Tata

An Industrialist and a philanthropist belonging to Maharashtra

29.Mr.Satyajit Ray (1922–1992)-

Satyajit Ray

A popular Indian-Movie-Director-An Oscar winner belonging to West Bengal

Bharat  Ratna-Awardees-1997:

30. Dr. A.P.J. Abdul Kalam– Born in 1931-

Dr A P J Abdula Kalam

A Former President- Atomic Scientist belonging to Tamil Nadu

31.Mr.Gulzarilal Nanda (1898–1998)-

Gulzarilal Nanda

A Freedom Fighter and a former Prime Minister of India belonging to Punjab

32. Ms,.Aruna Asaf Ali (1908–1996)- 

Aruna Asaf Ali  
Awarded Posthumous-A Freedom Fighter belonging to West Bengal

Bharat  Ratna-Awardees-1998:

33.Mrs.M. S. Subbulakshmi (1916–2004)-

M. S. Subbulakshmi

A Carnatic music vocalist belonging to Tamil Nadu

34.Mr.Chidambaram Subramaniam (1910–2000)-

C Subramaniam

A Freedom Fighter and former Minister of Agriculture called the Father of Green revolution belonging to Tamil Nadu

35.Mr.Jayaprakash Narayan (1902–1979)-  

Jayaprakash Narayan 
Awarded Posthumous- A Freedom Fighter and a Social Reformer belonging to Bihar

Bharat  Ratna -Awardees-1999: 

36.Pandit Ravi Shankar– (1920- 2012)-

Pandit Ravi Shankar

A Classical sitar player belonging to Uttar Pradesh. Pandit Ravishankar died on 11th December 2012 at the age of 92 years

37. Dr.Amartya Sen– Born in 1933-

Dr.Amartya Sen

A Nobel Laureate ( For Economics, 1998), An Economist belonging to West Bengal

 

38. Mr.Gopinath Bordoloi (1890–1950)- 

Gopinath Bordoloi  
Awarded Posthumous– A freedom fighter belonging to Assam

Bharat  Ratna -Awardees-2001:

39.Ms.Lata Mangeshkar- Born in 1929-

Lata Mangeshkar

A popular Indian Cinema Play back singer belonging to Maharashtra

40.Ustad Bismillah Khan (1916-2006)-

Ustad Bismillah Khan
A Classical Shehnai Maestro belonging to Bihar

Bharat  Ratna -Awardee-2008:

41.Pandit Bhimsen Gururaj Joshi-Born in 1922- 2011

.Pandit Bhimsen Gururaj Joshi

A Hindustani classical vocalist belonging to Karnataka.  Pandit Bhimsen Gururaj Joshi died on 24th January 2011 at the age of 88 years.

For the Year 2013:

On 16th November 2013, the Government of India has announced that the Bharat Ratna Award will be given to:

42. Sachin Tendulkar- ‘The Master of Cricket’ in India, who has just retired from active cricket, at the end of the Test match against the West Indies held at Mumbai.

43. Dr.C.N.N.Rao- Indian Chemist- the scientist behind India’s maiden ‘Mars’-Mission.

(Update on 05th February 2014)

On 04th February 2014, India’s highest civilian awards ‘Bharat Ratna’ was conferred on and presented by the President of India, Pranab Mukherjee in a brief function held at ‘Durbar Hall’ of the Rashtrapathi Bhavan, Newdelhi.to :

Dr.CNR Rao and

Sachin Tendulkar

The First Indian Sportsman To Receive Bharat Ratna Award-Sachin Tendulkar-



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

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Asif
Asif
5 years ago

Atal bihari Vajpayee’s nameb is missing