The Bharat Ratna, India’s highest civilian award, was today conferred on BJP veteran LK Advani. Instituted in 1954, the award is conferred in recognition of exceptional service in various fields, including art, literature, science, public service, and sports.
Chakravarti Rajagopalachari (1954): The last Governor-General of India and a key figure in India’s independence movement.
Sarvapalli Radhakrishnan (1954): Philosopher and India’s first Vice President and second President, known for his contributions to education.
Chandrasekhara Venkata Raman (1954): Nobel laureate physicist renowned for his groundbreaking work in light scattering.
Bhagwan Das (1955): Freedom fighter, philosopher and founder of the Kashi Vidyapith.
Mokshagundam Visvesvaraya (1955): Eminent engineer, statesman, and Diwan of Mysore, known for his contributions to engineering.
Jawaharlal Nehru (1955): The first Prime Minister of independent India and a central figure in the country’s struggle for independence.
Govind Ballabh Pant (1957): Statesman and one of the key architects of modern India, served as the Chief Minister of Uttar Pradesh.
Dhondo Keshav Karve (1958): Social reformer and educator, known for his work in promoting women’s education and widow remarriage.
Bidhan Chandra Roy (1961): Physician, freedom fighter, and the Chief Minister of West Bengal.
Purushottam Das Tandon (1961): Freedom fighter and a prominent figure in the Indian independence movement.
Rajendra Prasad (1962): The first President of India, played a crucial role in the drafting of the Indian Constitution.
Zakir Husain (1963): Scholar and the third President of India, known for his contributions to education.
Pandurang Vaman Kane (1963): Indologist and Sanskrit scholar, known for his historical research.
Lal Bahadur Shastri (1966): The second Prime Minister of India, known for his leadership during the Ind-Pak War of 1965.
Indira Gandhi (1971): The first woman Prime Minister of India, played a crucial role in shaping the nation’s political landscape.
Varahagiri Venkata Giri (1975): Trade unionist and the fourth President of India.
Kumaraswamy Kamaraj (1976): Freedom fighter and a key political figure, served as the Chief Minister of Tamil Nadu.
Mother Teresa (1980): Missionary nun and Nobel Peace Prize winner, known for her humanitarian work among the poor and sick.
Vinoba Bhave (1983): Advocate of nonviolence and a key disciple of Mahatma Gandhi, best known for the Bhoodan Movement.
Abdul Ghaffar Khan (1987): Freedom fighter and a prominent leader in the Indian independence movement.
Marudur Gopalan Ramachandran (1988): Actor and politician, served as the Chief Minister of Tamil Nadu.
Bhim Rao Ramji Ambedkar (1990): Architect of the Indian Constitution and a champion of social justice.
Nelson Mandela (1990): The first black President of South Africa.
Rajiv Gandhi (1991): He, at 41, was one of the youngest elected heads of Government in the world.
Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel (1991): Key figure in the Indian independence movement, played a crucial role in the integration of princely states into the Indian Union.
Morarji Ranchhodji Desai (1991): Independence activist and the fourth Prime Minister of India.
Maulana Abul Kalam Azad (1992): Scholar, freedom fighter, and the first Minister of Education in independent India.
Jehangir Ratanji Dadabhai Tata (1992): Industrialist and philanthropist, known for his contributions to Indian industry.
Satyajit Ray (1992): Filmmaker and one of the greatest directors in the history of world cinema.
Gulzarilal Nanda (1997): Economist and politician, served as the interim Prime Minister of India twice.
Aruna Asaf Ali (1997): Independence activist and the first woman to be elected as the Mayor of Delhi.
A.P.J. Abdul Kalam (1997): Renowned scientist and the 11th President of India.
M.S. Subbulakshmi (1998): Carnatic classical singer, the first musician ever to be awarded the Bharat Ratna.
Chidambaram Subramaniam (1998): Freedom fighter, politician, and statesman.
Jayaprakash Narayan (1999): Freedom fighter and political leader, played a crucial role during the Emergency in India.
Amartya Sen (1999): Nobel laureate economist known for his work on welfare economics.
Gopinath Bordoloi (1999): Freedom fighter and the first Chief Minister of Assam.
Ravi Shankar (1999): Sitar virtuoso and a major figure in the popularisation of Indian classical music in the West.
Lata Mangeshkar (2001): Legendary playback singer, often referred to as the “Nightingale of India.”
Bismillah Khan (2001): Shehnai maestro and one of the finest classical musicians in India.
Bhimsen Joshi (2009): Renowned vocalist in Hindustani classical music.
C.N.R. Rao (2014): Eminent chemist and a leading figure in scientific research in India.
Sachin Tendulkar (2014): Cricket legend, widely regarded as one of the greatest batters in the history of the sport.
Atal Bihari Vajpayee (2015): Inspirational statesman and former Prime Minister, known for his oratorical skills.
Madan Mohan Malaviya (2015): Educationist and founder of Banaras Hindu University.
Nanaji Deshmukh (2019): Social activist and a key figure in the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh.
Bhupendra Kumar Hazarika (2019): Noted singer, lyricist, and filmmaker, celebrated for his contributions to Indian art and culture.
Pranab Mukherjee (2019): Veteran politician and the 13th President of India.
Lal Krishna Advani (2024): Former Minister of Home Affairs who played a pivotal role in the Bharatiya Janata Party’s growth and served as the Deputy Prime Minister of India.
Karpoori Thakur (2024): Former Chief Minister of Bihar who focused on the upliftment of marginalised communities.