Bharat Ratna is highest civilian award in India, which started in 1954. It is given in any field of human endeavour. Prime Minister and President of India can recommend a name for Bharat Ratna. Find out Bharat Ratna Award Winners List below and their achievements and some facts as well.
Bharat Ratna Award Winners List
1. C. Rajagopalachari in 1954
First recipient of Bharat Ratna. He was an Independence activist, also last and only Indian Governor-General of India.
2. Sir C V Raman 1954
Sir CV Raman was awarded Bharat Ratna in the same year it was started. He is Nobel laureate physicist (1930) and one of the most popular scientist in world.
3. Sarvepalli Radhakrishnan 1954
Dr. Radhakrishnan also received Bharat Ratna in first year itself. He was a great Philosopher, India’s first Vice-President (1952–62), and second President (1962–67). He was awarded Bharat Ratna when while he was Vice President of India (Vice President of India have no role in Bharat Ratna decisions.)
4. Bhagwan Das 1955
Bhagwan Das was an Independence activist, theosophist, and founder of Mahatma Gandhi Kashi Vidyapith.
5. Visvesvaraya 1955
He was most notable Engineer of India. Visvesvaraya was a Civil engineer, Diwan of Mysore (1912–18), and Knight Commander of the Indian Empire.
6. Jawaharlal Nehru 1955
Pandit Nehru was awarded Bharat Ratna in 1955 when he was Prime Minister of India. He was an Independence activist, author, and first Prime Minister of India (1947–64). (PM of India is the one who confirms Bharat Ratna Winner)
7. Govind Ballabh Pant 1957
Govind Ballabh Pant was an Independence activist, first Chief Minister of Uttar Pradesh (1950–54)
8. Dr Dhondo Keshav Karve 1958
Dr. Karve was a highly regarded and one of the most notable social Reformer of India.
9. Bidhan Chandra Roy 1961
A Physician-Surgeon and second Chief Minister of West Bengal (1948–62)
10. Purushottam Das Tandon 1961
Purushottam Das Tandon was an Independence activist and educator.
11. Rajendra Prasad 1962
Dr. Rajendra Prasad received Bharat Ratna in 1962 after his tenure as President of India came to an end. He was an Independence activist, lawyer and first President of India (1950–62).
12. Zakir Hussain 1963
An Independence activist, second Vice-President of India (1962–67), and third President of India (1967–69). Received Bharat Ratna while he was Vice President of India.
13. Pandurang Vaman Kane 1963
An Indologist and notable Sanskrit scholar.
14. Lal Bahadur Shastri 1966
He was an Independence activist and third Prime Minister of India (1964–66). Received Bharat Ratna after his sudden death in 1966.
15. Indira Gandhi 1971
Indira Gandhi was Former Prime Minister of India (1966–77, 1980–84). She received Bharat Ratna when she was Prime Minister of India.
16. V. V. Giri 1975
Trade unionist, first Acting President of India, and fourth President of India (1969–74).
17. K. Kamaraj 1976
Independence activist and former Chief Minister of Tamil Nadu (1954–57, 1957–62, 1962–63)
18. Mother Teresa 1980
Mother Teresa was Catholic nun, founder of the Missionaries of Charity and Nobel peace prize laureate (1979). She was first recipient of Bharat Ratna who was not an Indian citizen. She received Bharat Ratna right after she won Noble Peace Prize.
19. Vinoba Bhave 1983
An Independence activist, social reformer, and Ramon Magsaysay Award laureate (1958)
20. Khan Abdul Ghaffar Khan 1987
An Independence activist who fought for India’s freedom.
21. M. G. Ramachandran 1988
Film actor and former Chief Minister of Tamil Nadu and founder of AIADMK political party. (1977–80, 1980–84, 1985–87)
22. B. R. Ambedkar 1990
Dr Ambedkar was Chief architect of the Indian Constitution and social reformer.
23. Nelson Mandela 1990
Leader of the Anti-Apartheid Movement in South Africa and Nobel Peace Prize laureate (1993). Another recipient who was not Indian Citizen.
24. Rajiv Gandhi 1991
Rajiv Gandhi was given Bharat Ratna after his assassination in 1991. He was Ninth Prime Minister of India (1984–89)
25. Vallabhbhai Patel 1991
An Independence activist and first Deputy Prime Minister of India(1947–50)
26. Morarji Desai 1991
Morarji Deasi was an Independence activist and sixth Prime Minister of India (1977–79). He was first Non Congress Leader to becom India’s Prime Minister.
27. Abul Kalam Azad 1992
An Independence activist who was given Bharat Ratna in 1992
28. J. R. D. Tata 1992
A notable Industrialist and philanthropist, who served as the chairman of Tata Group and also founded Air India.
29. Satyajit Ray 1992
One of the most notable Filmmaker of India and Oscar Award winner (Life Time Achievement award in 1991)
30. Gulzarilal Nanda 1997
Gulzarilal Nanda was an Independence activist and two times interim Prime Minister of India.
31. Aruna Asaf Ali 1997
Aruna Asaf was an Independence activist. She is widely remembered for hoisting the Indian National Congress flag at the Gowalia Tank maidan in Bombay during the Quit India Movement, 1942.
32. A. P. J. Abdul Kalam 1997
Dr. Kalam was an Aerospace and Defense Scientist and eleventh President of India (2002–07). He received Bharat ratna 5 year before being President.
33. M. S. Subbulakshmi 1998
M. S. Subbulakshmi was a Carnatic classical vocalist.
34. Chidambaram Subramaniam 1998
An Independence activist and former Minister of Agriculture of India durin lal Bahadur Shastri government. (1964–66)
35. Jayaprakash Narayan 1999
An Independence activist and social reformer of India who raised voice against Indira government and started Total Revolution movement.
36. Ravi Shankar 1999
A notable and most famous Hindustani classical Sitar player.
37. Amartya Sen 1999
Amartya Sen was a Nobel laureate economist (1998) who recived Bharat Ratna after winning Nobel prize.
38. Gopinath Bordoloi 1999
An Independence activist and first Chief Minister of Assam (1946–50)
39. Lata Mangeshkar 2001
Most popular female Playback singer of India
40. Bismillah Khan 2001
Bismillah Khan was a Hindustani classical Shehnai player
41. Bhimsen Joshi 2009
Pandit Bhimsen Joshi received Bharat Ratna in 2009. He was a Hindustani classical vocalist
42. Sachin Tendulkar 2013
Most celebrated Cricketer in the world and most popular sports person of India.
43. C. N. R. Rao 2013
Dr. Rao is a notable Chemist who has published more than 1400 papers.
44. Madan Mohan Malaviya 2014
An Indian educationist and politician and Independence activist. He was the founder of Banaras Hindu University.
45. Atal Bihari Vajpayee 2014
An Independence activist, Former Prime Minister of India (1996), (1998), (1999-2004) and a poet
