Bharat Ratna Award List (1954-2024), Year-Wise, Winners, Prize Money, Benefits, First Wonan, All Winner List Name with Photo and Image, PDF Download.
Bharat Ratna: History and Significance
The Bharat Ratna, meaning “Jewel of India” in Hindi, is the highest civilian award bestowed by the Government of India.
This honor recognizes exceptional service and performance in various fields such as social, political, business, and sports.
This prestigious award is presented to individuals who have made significant and remarkable contributions to the nation’s progress and advancement.
Who was the First to Receive the Bharat Ratna Award in India
Bharat Ratna was first established in 1954, and that year it was given to three individuals and the names of those three persons were
- Sarvapalli Radhakrishnan
- C. V. Raman
- C. Rajagopalachari
How many got the Bharat Ratna Award till 2024
From 1954 to 2024, there are 53 person have been awarded Bharat Ratna. Years 1956, 1959, 1960, 1964, 1965, 1967, 1968-70, 1972-74, 1977-79, 1981, 1982, 1984-86, 1993-96, 2000, 2002-08, 2010-13, 2020- 22 Bharat Ratna was not given.
Bharat Ratna 2024
The prestigious Bharat Ratna, India’s highest civilian award, shines annually on individuals who have made exceptional contributions to the nation.
2024 witnessed a historic moment with the announcement of five Bharat Ratna awardees, the highest number of awards given in a single year since the award’s inception in 1954. Let us know about the notable recipients who have been given this honor.
Bharat Ratna 2024 Winner List
- Karpoori Thakur
- Lal Krishna Advani
- Chaudhary Charan Singh
- P. V. Narasimha Rao
- Mankombu Sambasivan Swaminathan
2024 Bharat Ratna Award List with Photo
- Bharat Ratna 2024 Karpoori Thakur (Posthumous) (1924-1988)
2. Bharat Ratna 2024 Lal Krishna Advani (Born 1927)
3. Bharat Ratna 2024 Chaudhary Charan Singh (Posthumous) (1902-1987)
4. Bharat Ratna 2024 P. V. Narasimha Rao (Posthumous) (1921-2004)
5. Bharat Ratna 2024 Mankombu Sambasivan Swaminathan (Posthumous) (1925-2023)
Here are the Bharat Ratna 2024 recipients and achievements of these remarkable individuals:
- Mankombu Sambasivan Swaminathan (Posthumous) (1925-2023): A visionary agricultural scientist and agronomist, Swaminathan is credited with developing high-yielding varieties of wheat and rice, leading to the Green Revolution in India. His contributions significantly improved food security and impacted millions of lives.
- Chaudhary Charan Singh (Posthumous) (1902-1987): A renowned politician and farmer leader, freedom fighter, Singh served as the 5th Prime Minister of India (1979 to 1980) and advocated for the rights and welfare of farmers. His policies and initiatives focused on agricultural development and rural upliftment.
- P. V. Narasimha Rao (Posthumous) (1921-2004): A former Prime Minister (9th prime minister of India from 1991 to 1996), Rao is remembered for ushering in economic reforms and liberalization in India. His leadership during a challenging period paved the way for economic growth and modernization.
- Karpoori Thakur (Posthumous) (1924-1988): A dedicated leader and advocate for social justice, Thakur served as the Chief Minister of Bihar (1970 to 1971), (1977 to 1979). He championed the cause of the underprivileged and implemented policies focused on land reforms and education.
- Lal Krishna Advani (Born 1927): A veteran politician and leader of the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), Advani held several ministerial positions (7th Deputy Prime Minister of India from 2002 to 2004) and played a significant role in Indian politics. His contributions extend to social and political spheres.
(1954-2024) List of Bharat Ratna Award Winners Year Wise with Photo
| Award No. | Recipients with Photo | Year of Award | DoB / Death | Nation/State | Significant Remarkable Contributions |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Sarvapalli Radhakrishnan | 1954 | 1888-1975 | Tamil Nadu | India’s first Vice-President and second President (1962 to 1967) |
| 2 | C. V. Raman | 1954 | 1888-1970 | Tamil Nadu | Physicist, mathematician, and scientist known for his work in the field of light scattering |
| 3 | C. Rajagopalachari | 1954 | 1878-1972 | Tamil Nadu | Activist, statesman, and lawyer was an independence activist, who served as the last Governor-General of India from (1948 to 50) |
| 4 | Pandit Jawaharlal Nehru | 1955 | 1889-1964 | Uttar Pradesh | Independence activist, politician, and author served as the Prime Minister of India (1947 to 1964) |
| 5 | Bhagwan Das | 1955 | 1869-1958 | Uttar Pradesh | Independence Activist, philosopher, educationist, and co-founded Kashi Vidyapith |
| 6 | M. Visvesvaraya | 1955 | 1861-1962 | Karnataka | Civil engineer, statesman, and Diwan of Mysore |
| 7 | Govind Ballabh Pant | 1957 | 1887-1961 | Uttar Pradesh | Independence Activist and politician, first Chief Minister of Uttar Pradesh (1937–39) and (1946–50) |
| 8 | Dhondo Keshav Karve | 1958 | 1858-1962 | Maharashtra | Social reformer and educator, established the Widow Marriage Association (1883), Hindu Widows Home (1896) |
| 9 | Purushottam Das Tandon | 1961 | 1882-1962 | Uttar Pradesh | Independence activist, politician, lawyer, statesman, scholar, and speaker of the Uttar Pradesh Legislative Assembly from (1937 to 1950) |
| 10 | Bidhan Chandra Roy | 1961 | 1882-1962 | West Bengal | Physician, political leader, philanthropist, educationist, social worker, and second Chief Minister of West Bengal from (1948 to 1962) |
| 11 | Dr. Rajendra Prasad | 1962 | 1884-1963 | Bihar | Independence activist, speaker, lawyer, and first President of India (1950–62) |
| 12 | Pandurang Vaman Kane | 1963 | 1880-1972 | Maharashtra | Sanskrit scholar, Indologist, known for his five-volume literary work History of Dharmaśāstra, Ancient and Medieval Religious and Civil Law in India |
| 13 | Zakir Husain | 1963 | 1897-1969 | Andhra Pradesh | Independence Activist, economist, education philosopher Governor of Bihar (1957–62). second vice-president of India (1962–67), third President of India (1967–69) |
| 14 | Lal Bahadur Shastri | 1966 (Posthumous) | 1904-1966 | Uttar Pradesh | Independence activist, second Prime Minister of India (1964–66), known for his slogan “Jai Jawan Jai Kisan” |
| 15 | Indira Gandhi | 1971 | 1917-1984 | Uttar Pradesh | First woman Prime Minister of India (1966–77 and 1980–84) |
| 16 | V. V. Giri | 1975 | 1894-1980 | Odisha | Independence activist, Trade Unionist, 4th President of India, (1969–1974), Governor of Uttar Pradesh, Kerala, and Mysore |
| 17 | K. Kamaraj | 1976 (Posthumous) | 1903-1975 | Tamil Nadu | Independence activist, politician, statesman, former Chief Minister of Tamil Nadu (1954 and 1963) |
| 18 | Mother Teresa | 1980 | 1910-1997 | (Skopje, North Macedonia) Live in West Bengal | Catholic nun and the founder of the Missionaries of Charity |
| 19 | Vinoba Bhave | 1983 (Posthumous) | 1895-1982 | Maharashtra | Independence Activist, social reformer, and a close associate of Mahatma Gandhi |
| 20 | Khan Abdul Ghaffar Khan | 1987 | 1890-1988 | Pakistan | First non-citizen Bharat Ratna Award winner, Independence activist |
| 21 | M. G. Ramachandran | 1988 (Posthumous) | 1917-1987 | Tamil Nadu | Actor and Politician, Chief Minister of Tamil Nadu (1977 to 1987) |
| 22 | B.R. Ambedkar | 1990 (Posthumous) | 1891-1956 | Maharashtra | Social reformer, lawyer, and a Dalit leader, head of the committee drafting the Indian Constitution |
| 23 | Nelson Mandela | 1990 | 1918-2013 | South Africa | Leader of the Anti-Apartheid Movement in South Africa, President of South Africa (1994–99) |
| 24 | Morarji Desai | 1991 | 1896-1995 | Gujarat | Independence Activist, Politician, 4th Prime Minister of India (1977 to 1979) |
| 25 | Rajiv Gandhi | 1991 (Posthumous) | 1944-1991 | Uttar Pradesh | Sixth Prime Minister of India (1984 to 1989) |
| 26 | Vallabhbhai Patel | 1991 (Posthumous) | 1875-1950 | Gujarat | Independence Activist, first Deputy Prime Minister of India (1947–50) |
| 27 | Abul Kalam Azad | 1992 (Posthumous) | 1888-1958 | West Bengal | Independence Activist, first Minister of Education |
| 28 | J. R. D. Tata | 1992 | 1904-1993 | Maharashtra | Industrialist, philanthropist, and aviation pioneer, chairman of Tata Group |
| 29 | Satyajit Ray | 1992 | 1922-1992 | West Bengal | Director, filmmaker (Pather Panchali in 1955), writer, novelist |
| 30 | A.P.J Abdul Kalam | 1997 | 1931-2015 | Tamil Nadu | Aerospace and defense scientist, Eleventh President of India from (2002 to 2007) |
| 31 | Gulzarilal Nanda | 1997 | 1898-1998 | Punjab | Independence Activist, interim Prime Minister of India (1964 and 1966) |
| 32 | Aruna Asaf Ali | 1997 (Posthumous) | 1909-1996 | West Bengal | Independence Activist |
| 33 | M. S. Subbulakshmi | 1998 | 1916-2005 | Tamil Nadu | Carnatic classical vocalist |
| 34 | Chidambaram Subramaniam | 1998 | 1910-2000 | Tamil Nadu | Independence Activist and former Minister of Agriculture of India (1964 to 1966) |
| 35 | Jayaprakash Narayan | 1999 (Posthumous) | 1902-1979 | Bihar | Independence Activist, Social reformer |
| 36 | Gopinath Bordoloi | 1999 (Posthumous) | 1890-1950 | Assam | Independence activist, politician, first chief minister of Assam (1946–50) |
| 37 | Amartya Sen | 1999 | 1933-Till | West Bengal | Economist, Nobel Prize Winner (1998) |
| 38 | Pandit Ravi Shankar | 1999 | 1920-2012 | Uttar Pradesh | Musician, sitar player |
| 39 | Lata Mangeshkar | 2001 | 1929-2022 | Maharashtra | The famous Singer, and known as the “Nightingale of India” |
| 40 | Bismillah Khan | 2001 | 1916-2006 | Bihar | Hindustani classical shehnai player |
| 41 | Bhimsen Joshi | 2009 | 1922-2011 | Karnataka | Hindustani classical vocalist |
| 42 | C. N. R. Rao | 2014 | 1934-Till | Karnataka | Chemist, scientist, professor, author |
| 43 | Sachin Tendulkar | 2014 | 1973- Till | Maharashtra | Cricketer, Known as the God of Cricket and Little Master, Highest runs getter in ICC, Total- 34,000 Runs, Most matches played 664, Most Hundred (in Test-49 and ODI-51) Total- 100 Centuries |
| 44 | Madan Mohan Malaviya | 2015 (Posthumous) | 1861-1946 | Uttar Pradesh | Scholar and educational reformer, founded of Akhil Bharatiya Hindu Mahasabha (1906) |
| 45 | Atal Bihari Bajpayee | 2015 | 1924-2018 | Madhya Pradesh | Elected 2 times to the Rajya Sabha, 9 times to the Lok Sabha, 3 times Prime Minister of India (1996, 1998, 1999 to 2004) |
| 46 | Bhupen Hazarika | 2019 (Posthumous) | 1926-2011 | Assam | Indian playback singer, musician, lyricist, poet, film-maker, known as Sudhakantha, and Assam Ratna |
| 47 | Pranab Mukherjee | 2019 | 1935-2020 | West Bengal | Politician finance minister (2009 to 2012), 13th President of India from (2012 to 2017) |
| 47 | Nanaji Deshmukh | 2019 (Posthumous) | 1916-2010 | Maharashtra | A social activist, politician, focusing on education, health, and rural self-reliance |
| 49 | Karpoori Thakur | 2024 (Posthumous) | 1924-1988 | Bihar | Socialist leader, politician, 11th Chief Minister of Bihar, (1970 to 1971), (1977 to 1979). Education Minister of Bihar (1967-1968) |
| 50 | Lal Krishna Advani | 2024 | 1927- | Delhi | Politician, Co-founders of Bhartiya Janta Party (BJP), 7th Deputy Prime Minister of India (2002 to 2004) |
| 51 | Chaudhary Charan Singh | 2024 (Posthumous) | 1902-1987 | Uttar Pradesh | Freedom fighter, Politician, 5th prime minister of India (1979 to 1980). |
| 52 | PV Narsimha Rao | 2024 (Posthumous) | 1921-2004 | Telangana | Lawyer, Politician, Former 9th prime minister of India, (1991 to 1996) |
| 53 | MS Swaminathan | 2024 (Posthumous) | 1925-2023 | Tamil Nadu | Father of the Green Revolution, administrator, agronomist, agricultural, plant geneticist, scientist. |
List of Bharat Ratna Award Winners Year-Wise PDF Download
| Download the Bharat Ratna Award List PDF | Click Here |
Bharat Ratna Award Female List
- Indira Gandhi 1971 (Uttar Pradesh)
- Mother Teresa 1980 (Skopje, North Macedonia) Live in West Bengal
- Aruna Asaf Ali 1997 (West Bengal)
- M. S. Subbulakshmi 1998 (Tamil Nadu)
- Lata Mangeshkar 2001 (Maharashtra)
First Bharat Ratna Award Female List
The first Bharat Ratna Award winner woman Indira Gandhi in 1971. Also, she was the First woman Prime Minister of India (1966–77 and 1980–84). Indira Gandhi is 5th and 8th Prime Minister of India and known as the “Iron Lady of India”,
First Bharat Ratna Award in Sports
The first Bharat Ratna Award winner in sports Sachin Tendulkar in 2014. He is an Indian Cricketer from Maharashtra and known God of Cricket and Little Master in worldwide. Sachin is the Highest runs getter in ICC (International Cricket Council), Total of 34,000 Runs, Most matches played 664, Most Hundred (in Test-49 and ODI-51) Total of 100 Centuries.
First Bharat Ratna Award Other Countries
The First Bharat Ratna Award winner outside of India was Mother Teresa in 1980. Mother Teresa was a Catholic nun and the founder of the Missionaries of Charity. She was given the Bharat Ratna Award for his service to sick people, Social Work, and humanitarian work. Mother Teresa dedicated her life to serving the poor and marginalized.
Bharat Ratna Award winner outside of India List
- Mother Teresa 1980 (Skopje, North Macedonia) Live in West Bengal
- Khan Abdul Ghaffar Khan 1987 (Pakistan)
- Nelson Mandela 1990 (South Africa)
Last Bharat Ratna Award
These five people have been given the last Bharat Ratna Award in 2024, Karpoori Thakur, Lal Krishna Advani, Chaudhary Charan Singh, P. V. Narasimha Rao, and Mankombu Sambasivan Swaminathan.
Bharat Ratna Award Symbol
The Bharat Ratna serves as a powerful symbol of national recognition and appreciation. It inspires individuals to strive for excellence, dedication, and service to the nation. The stories of the recipients act as a source of motivation and inspiration for generations to come.
Bharat Ratna Nomination Process:
Selection Process: Bharat Ratna nominations are careful and involve many layers. The Prime Minister nominates individuals based on their achievements and contributions, which are reviewed by a committee comprising eminent personalities from various fields.
The selection process is sent directly to the President by the Prime Minister. This ensures a rigorous and fair selection process. The final decision depends on the President of India, who makes the official announcement.
Bharat Ratna Prize Money:
No Monetary Reward: The award is solely an honor, without any monetary benefits. This emphasizes the recognition of selfless service and contributions to the nation.
Bharat Ratna Benefits
While the Bharat Ratna does not include monetary rewards, it carries several prestigious privileges:
Privileges and Facilities: Recipients of the Bharat Ratna are accorded certain privileges, including travel benefits, diplomatic passport access, and protocol precedence. These acknowledge their esteemed status and facilitate their continued contribution to society.
- Lifetime access to travel in executive class on domestic airlines
- Diplomatic passport for expedited travel procedures
- Special treatment and protocol accorded to government dignitaries
- Recognition and respect as a national icon
Conclusion
Bharat Ratna is a rich reflection of the extraordinary individuals of India. Their contributions and stories inspire us to dream big, work hard, and contribute to building a brighter future for India. Bharat Ratna will always retain its significance as a symbol of the highest national appreciation.
