Interesting Facts About Bharat Ratna Award

The Bharat Ratna Awards are the highest civilian awards in India. They are conferred on individuals who have made significant contributions to India’s socio-economic and cultural development. The Bharat Ratna Award for excellence in arts and letters, instituted in 1954, is the most prestigious award conferred.

The Bharat Ratna Award for lifetime achievement, instituted in 1990, is the second-highest civilian award. The award is given to those who have made a significant and continuous contribution to the arts, literature, cinema, or any other field of creative activity. The recipients of the Bharat Ratna Award for excellence in sports are athletes who have brought laurels to India in major international competitions.

As of 2018, there are 89 recipients of the Bharat Ratna Award, including 24 recipients who are women. These include outstanding scientists, artists, and politicians who have contributed immensely to India’s development.

The Bharat Ratna is the highest civilian award in India. It is conferred on individuals who have made significant contributions to national life. The award recipients are usually announced every year on Republic Day, which falls on January 26th. The Bharat Ratna was initially instituted in 1954 to honour those who have played a leading role in the development of India.

Here are some interesting facts about the Bharat Ratna Awards

• India’s top citizen award.

• Provides a unique role in the development of art, literature, science, sports, etc. and respects the highest standards of Public Works.

• It was established in 1954.

• It is not obligatory to award the Bharat Ratna every year.

• There is no written provision that the Bharat Ratna should be given to Indian citizens only.

• The Prime Minister made the Bharat Ratna recommendations to the President.

• A maximum of three Bharat Ratnas can be awarded in one year.

• The first Bharat Ratna was published (in 1954)

• Well-known Indian scientist Dr C.V. Raman

• C. Rajagopalachari, the last and ONLY Governor-General of INDIA of India

• Dr. S. Radhakrishnan, Second President of India

Recipients of the Bharat Ratna and the Nobel Prize

• C.V. Raman

• Mother Teresa

• Nelson Mandela

• Amartya Sen

Who Can Be Nominated For The Bharat Ratna Award?

The public accepts the nominations for the Bharat Ratna Awards. However, the award is not given to just anyone. The candidate must be a citizen of India and have made extraordinary contributions in any field, including arts, literature, science, public service and sports. The recommendations are then sent to the Prime Minister, who forwards them to the President for approval.

How Many People Have Received The Bharat Ratna Award?

Bharat Ratna winners                 

• C. Rajagopalachari 1954

• Dr S. Radhakrishnan 1954

• Dr C.V. Raman 1954

• Dr Bhagwan Das 1955

• Dr M. Visvesvaraya 1955

• Pt. Jawaharlal Nehru 1955

• Pt. G.B. Pant 1957

• Dr. Dhondo Keshav Karve 1958

• Dr B. C. Roy 1961

• Purushottam Das Tandon 1961

• Dr Rajendra Prasad 1962

• Dr Zakir Husain 1963

• Dr. Pandurang Vaman Kane 1963

• Lal Bahadur Shastri (posthumous) 1966

• Indira Gandhi 1971

• V.V. Giri 1975

• K. Kamraj (Posthumous) 1976

• Mother Teresa 1980

• Acharya Vinoba Bhave (Posthumous) 1983

• Khan Abdul Ghaffar Khan 1987

• Marudur Gopalan Ramachandran (Posthumous) 1988

• B.R. Ambedkar (Posthumous) 1990

• Nelson Mandela 1990

• Rajiv Gandhi (Posthumous) 1991

• Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel (Posthumous) 1991

• Morarji Desai  1991

• Maulana Abul Kalam Azad (Posthumous) 1992

• J.R.D. Tata 1992

• Satyajit Ray 1992

• Gulzarilal Nanda 1997

• Aruna Asif Ali (posthumous) 1997

• Dr. A.P.J. Abdul Kalam 1997

• M.S. Subbulakshmi 1998

• Chidambaram Subramaniam 1998

• Jayaprakash Narayan (Posthumous) 1999

• Prof Amartya Sen 1999

• Lokpriya Gopinath Bordoloi (Posthumous) 1999

• Pt. Ravi Shankar 1999

• Lata Mangeshkar 2001

• Ustad Bismillah Khan 2001

• Pt. Bhimsen Joshi 2009

• Prof. C.N.R. Rao 2014

• Sachin Tendulkar 2014

• Pt. Madan Mohan Malaviya (Posthumous) 2015

• Atal Bihari Vajpayee 2015

What Are The Criteria For Bharat Ratna Award?

It is given for the highest degree of excellence in any field of human endeavour. The award is not restricted to Indians only; it can be given to anyone, irrespective of nationality. The criteria for Bharat Ratna Award are:

– exceptional service/achievements of the highest order

– the impact of the recipient’s work on society

Who Decides The Bharat Ratna Awards?

The Prime Minister of India decides the award on the Committee of Awards’ advice. The committee consists of the President, the Vice President, the Home Minister, and the Leader of Opposition in the Lok Sabha.

Conclusion

The Bharat Ratna Award is one of the highest civilian awards in India. It was first instituted in 1954 and is given to individuals who have made significant contributions to India’s social, economic, and cultural development. 

The award is given to those who have achieved exceptional excellence in their field, and it is one of the most prestigious awards that India has to offer. Some of the most notable recipients include S. Radhakrishnan, A.P.J. Abdul Kalam, and Dr Bhagwan Das.