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Bharat Ratna

{{short description|India's highest civilian award}}

{{good article}}

{{EngvarB|date=January 2024}}

{{Use dmy dates|date=March 2024}}

{{Infobox award

| name = Bharat Ratna

| image = Bharat Ratna Award.png

| type = National Civilian

| country = {{flag|India}}

| presenter = 15px President of India

| ribbon = 100px

| obverse = An image of the Sun along with the words "Bharat Ratna", inscribed in Devanagari script, on a peepal (Ficus religiosa) leaf

| reverse = A platinum State Emblem of India placed in the centre with the national motto, "Satyameva Jayate" (Truth alone triumphs) in Devanagari script

| established = {{start date and age|df=yes|1954}}

| firstawarded = 1955

{{bulleted list|C. Rajagopalachari|Sarvepalli Radhakrishnan|C. V. Raman}}

| lastawarded = 2024

{{bulleted list|Karpoori Thakur|Lal Krishna Advani|Charan Singh|P. V. Narasimha Rao|M. S. Swaminathan}}

| total_awarded = 53

| description = Highest Civilian Award of the Republic of India

| higher = None

| lower = 35px Param Vir Chakra (military)
35px Padma Vibhushan (civilian)

| website = {{URL|https://brs.inc}}

}}

The Bharat Ratna ({{IPA|hi|bʱaːɾət̪ ɾət̪ᵊn̪ə}}; {{lit|Jewel of India}}) is the highest civilian award of the Republic of India. Instituted on 2 January 1954, the award is conferred in recognition of "exceptional service/performance of the highest order", without distinction of race, occupation, position or gender. The award was originally limited to achievements in the arts, literature, science, and public services, but the Government of India expanded the criteria to include "any field of human endeavor" in December 2011. The recommendations for the award are made by the prime minister to the president. The recipients receive a Sanad (certificate) signed by the president and a peepal leaf-shaped medallion. Bharat Ratna recipients rank seventh in the Indian order of precedence.

The first recipients of the Bharat Ratna were: the former governor-general of the Union of India C. Rajagopalachari, the former president of the Republic of India Sarvepalli Radhakrishnan; and the Indian physicist C. V. Raman, who were honoured in 1954. Since then, the award has been bestowed upon 53 individuals, including 18 who were awarded posthumously. The original statutes did not provide for posthumous awards but were amended in January 1966 to permit them to honor former prime minister Lal Bahadur Shastri, the first individual to be honored posthumously. In 2014, cricketer Sachin Tendulkar, then aged 40, became the youngest recipient, while social reformer Dhondo Keshav Karve was the oldest recipient when he was awarded on his 100th birthday. Though usually conferred on India-born citizens, the award has been conferred on one naturalized citizen, Mother Teresa, and on two non-Indians: Abdul Ghaffar Khan (born in British India and later a citizen of Pakistan) and Nelson Mandela, a citizen of South Africa.

The Bharat Ratna, along with other personal civil honours, was briefly suspended from July 1977 to January 1980, during the change in the national government; and for a second time from August 1992 to December 1995, when several public-interest litigations challenged the constitutional validity of the awards. In 1992, the government's decision to confer the award posthumously on Subhas Chandra Bose was opposed by those who had refused to accept the fact of his death, including some members of his extended family. Following a 1997 Supreme Court decision, the press communique announcing Bose's award was cancelled; it is the only time when the award was announced but not conferred.

History

On 2 January 1954, a press communique was released from the office of the secretary to the president announcing the creation of two civilian awards—Bharat Ratna (Jewel of India), the highest civilian award, and the three-tier Padma Vibhushan, classified into "Pehla Warg" (Class I), "Dusra Warg" (Class II), and "Tisra Warg" (Class III), which rank below the Bharat Ratna.{{cite news|url=https://www.bbc.com/news/world-asia-india-30595436|title=Atal Behari Vajpayee: India honours former PM with Bharat Ratna|date=24 December 2014|access-date=30 October 2015|work=BBC|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20151014000840/http://www.bbc.com/news/world-asia-india-30595436|archive-date=14 October 2015}}{{cite journal|url=http://www.egazette.nic.in/WriteReadData/1954/E-2233-1954-0001-103507.pdf|title=The Gazette of India—Extraordinary—Part 1|last=Lal|first=Shavax A.|year=1954|journal=The Gazette of India|publisher=The President's Secretariat|publication-date=2 January 1954|access-date=12 May 2014|pages=2|quote=The President is pleased to institute an award to be designated Bharat Ratna and to make the following Regulations|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140514155953/http://www.egazette.nic.in/WriteReadData/1954/E-2233-1954-0001-103507.pdf|archive-date=14 May 2014}}{{cite web|url=https://www.mha.gov.in/sites/default/files/2022-07/RulesBharatRatna%26PadmaAwards_0_0.pdf|title=Bharat Ratna and Padma Awards|publisher=Government of India|access-date=1 December 2023}} On 15 January 1955, the Padma Vibhushan was reclassified into three different awards; the Padma Vibhushan, the highest of the three, followed by the Padma Bhushan and the Padma Shri.{{cite journal|url=http://www.egazette.nic.in/WriteReadData/1955/O-2196-1955-0003-100533.pdf|title=The Gazette of India—Extraordinary—Part I|last=Ayyar|first=N. M.|year=1955|journal=The Gazette of India|publisher=The President's Secretariat|publication-date=15 January 1955|access-date=18 May 2014|pages=8|quote=The President is pleased to make the following revised regulations for the award of the decoration Bharat Ratna in supersession of those published in Notification No. 1-Pres./54, dated the 2nd January, 1954|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140518211317/http://www.egazette.nic.in/WriteReadData/1955/O-2196-1955-0003-100533.pdf|archive-date=18 May 2014}}

The award was briefly suspended twice in its history.{{sfn|Hoiberg|Ramchandani|2000|p=96}} The first suspension occurred when Morarji Desai, who was sworn in as the fourth prime minister in 1977, withdrew all personal civil honours on 13 July 1977.{{sfn|Bhattacherje|2009|p=A248}}{{sfn|Edgar|2011|p=C-105}} The suspension was rescinded on 25 January 1980, after Indira Gandhi became the prime minister.{{cite journal|url=http://egazette.nic.in/WriteReadData/1980/E-1030-1980-0022-45004.pdf|title=The Gazette of India—Extraordinary—Part I|last=Madappa|first=K. C.|year=1980|journal=The Gazette of India|publisher=The President's Secretariat|publication-date=25 January 1980|access-date=19 June 2016|pages=2|quote=The President is pleased to cancel the President's Secretariat Notification No. 65-Pres/77 dated the 8th August, 1977 by which the Civilian Awards "Bharat Ratna', 'Padma Vibhushan', 'Padma Bhushan' and 'Padma Shri' were cancelled and to direct that the said Awards shall be re-instituted with immediate effect.|url-status=dead|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160619175317/http://egazette.nic.in/WriteReadData/1980/E-1030-1980-0022-45004.pdf|archive-date=19 June 2016|df=dmy-all}}{{sfn|Bhattacherje|2009|p=A253}} The award was suspended again in mid-1992, when two Public-Interest Litigations were filed, one in the Kerala High Court and another in the Madhya Pradesh High Court, challenging the "constitutional validity" of the awards.{{sfn|Hoiberg|Ramchandani|2000|p=96}} The awards were reintroduced by the Supreme Court in December 1995, following the conclusion of the litigation.{{sfn|Edgar|2011|p=C-105}}{{cite web|url=http://judis.nic.in/supremecourt/imgst.aspx?filename=19825|title=Balaji Raghavan S. P. Anand Vs. Union of India: Transfer Case (civil) 9 of 1994|date=4 August 1997|access-date=14 May 2014|publisher=Supreme Court of India|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140519060941/http://judis.nic.in/supremecourt/imgst.aspx?filename=19825|archive-date=19 May 2014}}

There is no formal provision that recipients of the Bharat Ratna should be Indian citizens. It has been awarded to a naturalised Indian citizen, Mother Teresa in 1980, and to two non-Indians, Abdul Ghaffar Khan of Pakistan in 1987 and the former South African president Nelson Mandela in 1990.{{sfn|Guha|2001|p=176}} Sachin Tendulkar, at the age of 40, became the youngest person and first sportsperson to receive the honour.{{cite news|url=http://www.espncricinfo.com/india/content/story/715695.html|title=Tendulkar receives Bharat Ratna|work=ESPNcricinfo|access-date=20 May 2014|date=4 February 2014|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140626074439/http://www.espncricinfo.com/india/content/story/715695.html|archive-date=26 June 2014}} Dhondo Keshav Karve was the oldest living recipient when he was awarded on his 100th birthday on 18 April 1958.{{cite encyclopedia|url=https://www.britannica.com/EBchecked/topic/312797/Dhondo-Keshav-Karve|title=Profile: Dhondo Keshav Karve|encyclopedia=Encyclopædia Britannica|access-date=20 May 2014|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20111201123354/https://www.britannica.com/EBchecked/topic/312797/Dhondo-Keshav-Karve|archive-date=1 December 2011}}{{efn|name=Karve|The Bharat Ratna ceremony is usually held at Rashtrapati Bhavan, New Delhi but a special ceremony was held at Brabourne Stadium, Mumbai to honour Karve on his 100th birthday, 18 April 1958.{{sfn|Daniel|1958|p=223}}}} {{As of|2024}}, the award has been conferred upon 50 people with 15 posthumous declarations.

Regulations

The Bharat Ratna is conferred "in recognition of exceptional service/performance of the highest order", without distinction of race, occupation, position, or gender.{{cite web|title=Bharat Ratna Scheme|url=http://mha.gov.in/sites/upload_files/mha/files/Scheme-BR.pdf|publisher=Ministry of Home Affairs (India)|access-date=8 May 2014|url-status=dead|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180209002940/http://mha.gov.in/sites/upload_files/mha/files/Scheme-BR.pdf|archive-date=9 February 2018|df=dmy-all}} The award was originally confined to the arts, literature, science, and public services, as per the 1954 regulations. In December 2011, the rules were amended to "any field of human endeavour".{{cite news|url=http://www.thehindu.com/news/national/article2720348.ece|title=Govt changes criteria for Bharat Ratna; now open for all|agency=Press Trust of India|newspaper=The Hindu|date=16 December 2011|access-date=16 December 2011|location=New Delhi|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20131228161147/http://www.thehindu.com/news/national/article2720348.ece|archive-date=28 December 2013}} The 1954 statutes did not allow posthumous awards, but this was subsequently modified in the January 1966 statute, and Lal Bahadur Shastri became the first recipient to be honored posthumously in 1966.{{cite journal|url=http://www.egazette.nic.in/WriteReadData/1966/E-1697-1966-0012-77227.pdf|title=The Gazette of India—Extraordinary—Part I|last=Gundevia|first=Y. D.|year=1966|journal=The Gazette of India|publisher=The President's Secretariat|publication-date=11 January 1966|access-date=12 May 2014|pages=2|quote=The President is pleased to award the Bharat Ratna posthumously to:—Shri Lal Bahadur Shastri|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140514155724/http://www.egazette.nic.in/WriteReadData/1966/E-1697-1966-0012-77227.pdf|archive-date=14 May 2014}}

Although there is no formal nomination process, recommendations for the award can only be made by the prime minister to the president. The recipient receives a Sanad (certificate) signed by the president and a medallion without any monetary grant. Usage of the title 'Bharat Ratna' as a prefix by the awardee is exempt from Article 18 (1) of the Constitution,{{efn|name=Article18|Per Article 18 (1) of the Constitution of India: Abolition of titles, "no title, not being a military or academic distinction, shall be conferred by the State".{{cite web|url=http://lawmin.nic.in/coi/coiason29july08.pdf|title=The Constitution of India|access-date=19 May 2014|page=36|publisher=Ministry of Law and Justice (India)|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140909230437/http://lawmin.nic.in/coi/coiason29july08.pdf|archive-date=9 September 2014}}}} as per the Supreme Court's precedent in Balaji Raghavan/S.P. Anand v. Union of India in 1995.{{cite web|url=https://indiankanoon.org/doc/1882300/|title=Balaji Raghavan/S.P.Anand vs Union Of India on 15 December, 1995|work=Indiankanoon.org|access-date=6 March 2020}} Additionally, recipients may either use the expression "Awarded Bharat Ratna by the President" or "Recipient of Bharat Ratna Award" to indicate that they have been honored with the award. The holders of the Bharat Ratna rank seventh in the Indian order of precedence.{{cite report|url=http://rajyasabha.nic.in/rsnew/guidline_govt_mp/chap11.pdf|title=Indian order of precedence|access-date=19 May 2014|publisher=Rajya Sabha Secretariat|page=1|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140704022423/http://rajyasabha.nic.in/rsnew/guidline_govt_mp/chap11.pdf|archive-date=4 July 2014}}

As with many official announcements, recipients are announced and registered in The Gazette of India, a publication released by the Department of Publication, Ministry of Urban Development used for official government notices; without publication in the Gazette, conferral of the award is not considered official. Recipients whose awards have been revoked or restored, both of which require the authority of the president, are registered in the Gazette. Recipients whose awards have been revoked are required to surrender their medals, and their names are struck from the register.

Specifications

File:Bharat Ratna.jpg

The original 1954 specifications of the award was a circle made of gold {{convert|1+3/8|inch|mm}} in diameter with a centered image of the sun on the obverse side. The text "Bharat Ratna", in Devanagari Script, is inscribed on the upper edge in silver gilt with a wreath set along on the lower edge. A platinum State Emblem of India was placed in the center of the reverse side with the national motto, "Satyameva Jayate" in Devanagari Script ({{langx|sa|सत्यमेव जयते}}; lit. "Truth alone triumphs"), inscribed in silver-gilt on the lower edge.

A year later, the design was modified. The current medal is in the shape of a peepal leaf, approximately {{convert|2+5/16|inch|mm}} long, {{convert|1+7/8|inch|mm}} wide and {{convert|1/8|inch|mm}} thick and rimmed in platinum.{{cite news|url=http://indianexpress.com/article/india/india-others/sachins-bharat-ratna-today-a-medal-from-2000/|title=Sachin's Bharat Ratna today a medal from 2000|date=4 February 2014|newspaper=The Indian Express|access-date=13 May 2014|location=New Delhi|last=Ranjan|first=Amitav|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140428211303/http://indianexpress.com/article/india/india-others/sachins-bharat-ratna-today-a-medal-from-2000/|archive-date=28 April 2014}} The embossed sun burst design, made of platinum, on the obverse side of the medal has a diameter of {{convert|5/8|inch|mm}} with rays spreading out from {{convert|5/6|inch|mm}} to {{convert|1/2|inch|mm}} from the center of the Sun. The words "Bharat Ratna" on the obverse side remained the same as the 1954 design as did the emblem of India and "Satyameva Jayate" on the reverse side. A {{convert|2|in|mm|adj=mid|-wide}} white ribbon is attached to the medal so it can be worn around the neck.{{sfn|Hoiberg|Ramchandani|2000|p=96}}{{cite press release|title=Crafting Bharat Ratna, Padma Medals at Kolkata Mint|url=http://pib.nic.in/release/rel_print_page.asp?relid=102657|publisher=Press Information Bureau (PIB), India|access-date=13 May 2014|date=21 January 2014|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140517153417/http://pib.nic.in/release/rel_print_page.asp?relid=102657|archive-date=17 May 2014}} In 1957, the silver-gilt decoration was changed to burnished bronze.{{sfn|Sainty|2011}} The medals are minted at Alipore Mint in Kolkata.{{cite web|url=http://pib.nic.in/newsite/efeatures.aspx?relid=102657|title=Crafting Bharat Ratna, Padma Medals at Kolkata Mint|publisher=Press Information Bureau|date=26 January 2014|access-date=5 November 2015|url-status=live|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20151208060357/http://pib.nic.in/newsite/efeatures.aspx?relid=102657|archive-date=8 December 2015|df=dmy-all}}{{cite web|url=http://www.igmint.org/hist.htm|title=History of the Alipore Mint|access-date=15 September 2008|publisher=India Government Mint, Kolkata|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080629011733/http://www.igmint.org/hist.htm|archive-date=29 June 2008}}

Entitlements

Bharat Ratna can not be used as a prefix or suffix, however recipients may identify themselves as "Awarded Bharat Ratna by the President" or "Recipient of Bharat Ratna Award". The award does not carry any monetary benefits, but the award includes the following entitlements:

  • The medallion and miniature
  • A Sanad (certificate) signed by the president of India
  • Treatment as a state guest by state governments when traveling within a state
  • Indian missions abroad requested to facilitate recipients when requested
  • Entitlement to a diplomatic passport
  • Placed seventh in the Indian order of precedence
  • Concessional fare on the flag carrier Air India{{cite web|url=https://www.airindia.com/in/en/book/special-offers/other-concessions.html|title=Other concessions|publisher=Air India|access-date=1 December 2023}}

Controversies and criticism

The Bharat Ratna has been mired in several controversies and award grants have been subject to multiple public interest litigations (PILs).{{sfn|Edgar|2011|p=C-105}}{{sfn|Basu|2010|p=132}}

= Subhas Chandra Bose (1992) =

File:Subhas Chandra Bose.jpg, which was later cancelled post the order of the Supreme Court in 1997]]

On 23 January 1992, a press release was published by the president's secretariat to confer the award posthumously on Subhas Chandra Bose. The decision was contested in a public interest litigation, with the petitioner objecting to the conferral of the award and its posthumous mention of Bose, saying that honoring a personality higher than the award is "ridiculous", and it was an act of "carelessness" to classify such a person with past and future recipients. It was also contested that the award cannot be conferred to Bose posthumously as the Government had not officially accepted his death on 18 August 1945.{{sfn|Basu|2010|p=132}} The petitioner requested the whereabouts of Bose from 18 August 1945 to date, based on the information collected by the 1956 Shah Nawaz Committee and the 1970 Khosla Commission.{{cite web|url=http://judis.nic.in/supremecourt/imgst.aspx?filename=19960|title=Union of India Vs. Bijan Ghosh and ORS: Special Leave Petition (civil) 628 of 1994|date=4 August 1997|access-date=14 May 2014|publisher=Supreme Court of India|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140514235306/http://judis.nic.in/supremecourt/imgst.aspx?filename=19960|archive-date=14 May 2014}}{{sfn|Basu|2010|p=102}} Bose's family also declined to accept the award.

The Supreme Court formed a special two-judge division bench to adjudicate the case. The Solicitor General noted that to confer the award per the appropriate regulations pertaining to the Bharat Ratna, the name of the recipient must be published in The Gazette of India and entered in the recipients register maintained under the direction of the president. It was noted that only an announcement had been made by press communique, but the government had not proceeded to confer the award by publishing the name in the Gazette and entering the name in the register with the president having not conferred a Sanad (certificate). On 4 August 1997, the Supreme Court delivered an order that since the award had not been officially conferred, it cannot be revoked and declared that the press communique be treated as cancelled with the court declining to pass any judgement on the posthumous mention of Bose and his death.{{cite news|title=SC cancels note on Bharat Ratna for Subhash Bose|url=http://expressindia.indianexpress.com/ie/daily/19970805/21750283.html|access-date=17 November 2013|newspaper=The Indian Express|location=New Delhi|date=5 August 1997|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20131218143343/http://expressindia.indianexpress.com/ie/daily/19970805/21750283.html|archive-date=18 December 2013}}

= Awards as "titles" (1992) =

In 1992, two PILs were filed in the High Courts; one in the Kerala High Court on 13 February 1992 and another in the Madhya Pradesh High Court on 24 August 1992. Both petitions questioned the civilian awards being "Titles" per an interpretation of Article 18 (1) of the Constitution.{{efn|name=Article18}} On 25 August 1992, the Madhya Pradesh High Court issued a notice temporarily suspending all civilian awards.{{sfn|Edgar|2011|p=C-105}} A special five-judge division bench of the Supreme Court was formed, which restored the awards and delivered a judgement that the "Bharat Ratna and Padma awards are not titles under Article 18 of the Constitution" on 15 December 1995.

= Rao and Tendulkar (2013) =

File:Dhyan Chand with the ball vs. France in the 1936 Olympic semi-finals.jpg at the 1936 Summer Olympics. Widely regarded as the greatest hockey player of all time, Chand has not been conferred the Bharat Ratna]]

Following the announcement, in November 2013, that C. N. R. Rao and Sachin Tendulkar were to be awarded the Bharat Ratna, multiple litigations were filed challenging the awards. The litigation against Tendulkar to the Election Commission indicated that the awarding him was a violation of the model code of conduct as Tendulkar was an Indian National Congress nominated member of Rajya Sabha and the decision to award him would influence the voters of five states where elections were underway at the time.{{cite news|title=RTI activist moves EC against Sachin Tendulkar getting Bharat Ratna|url=http://ibnlive.in.com/news/cricketnext/rti-activist-moves-ec-against-sachin-tendulkar-getting-bharat-ratna/434985-78.html|work=IBN Live|date=19 November 2013|access-date=16 May 2014|author=Sengupta, Subhajit|url-status=dead|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20131219204652/http://ibnlive.in.com/news/cricketnext/rti-activist-moves-ec-against-sachin-tendulkar-getting-bharat-ratna/434985-78.html|archive-date=19 December 2013}} On 4 December 2013, the Election Commission rejected the petition stating that conferring the award on people from non-polling states did not amount to a violation of the code.{{cite news|title=Govt didn't violate model code in naming Sachin for Bharat Ratna: EC|url=http://www.hindustantimes.com/india-news/govt-didn-t-violate-model-code-in-naming-sachin-for-bharat-ratna-ec/article1-1158844.aspx|newspaper=Hindustan Times|date=4 December 2013|access-date=16 May 2014|location=New Delhi|url-status=dead|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20131222103414/http://www.hindustantimes.com/india-news/govt-didn-t-violate-model-code-in-naming-sachin-for-bharat-ratna-ec/article1-1158844.aspx|archive-date=22 December 2013}}

Another litigation was filed against then-prime minister Manmohan Singh, home minister Sushilkumar Shinde and sports minister Bhanwar Jitendra Singh for conferring of the award on Tendulkar, alleging an apparent "conspiracy to ignore" the famed Indian field hockey player Dhyan Chand.{{cite web|url=http://www.rediff.com/cricket/report/case-filed-against-bharat-ratna-award-to-tendulkar-dhyanchand/20131119.htm|title=Case filed against Bharat Ratna award to Tendulkar|work=Rediff.com|access-date=16 May 2014|date=19 November 2013|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140517132428/http://www.rediff.com/cricket/report/case-filed-against-bharat-ratna-award-to-tendulkar-dhyanchand/20131119.htm|archive-date=17 May 2014}}{{cite news|url=http://articles.economictimes.indiatimes.com/2013-11-19/news/44242479_1_dhyanchand-bharat-ratna-sachin-tendulkar|title=Bharat Ratna controversy: Cases filed against Manmohan, Sushil Kumar Shinde, Sachin Tendulkar|newspaper=The Economic Times|location=Muzaffarpur|access-date=16 May 2014|date=19 November 2013|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140723194749/http://articles.economictimes.indiatimes.com/2013-11-19/news/44242479_1_dhyanchand-bharat-ratna-sachin-tendulkar|archive-date=23 July 2014}} The litigation filed against Rao declared that other Indian scientists, such as Homi Bhabha and Vikram Sarabhai, had contributed more than Rao, his claim of publishing 1400 research papers was "physically impossible" and Rao had proven cases of plagiarism, hence the announcement should be annulled.{{cite news|url=http://indiatoday.intoday.in/story/pil-bharat-ratna-cnr-rao-petitioner/1/327967.html|title=PIL against Bharat Ratna to CNR Rao dismissed, petitioners warned|publisher=India Today|work=Headlines Today|date=5 December 2013|access-date=16 May 2014|location=New Delhi|author=Haque, Amir|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140517151508/http://indiatoday.intoday.in/story/pil-bharat-ratna-cnr-rao-petitioner/1/327967.html|archive-date=17 May 2014}} The High Courts rejected all the petitions raised against Rao and Tendulkar.{{cite news|url=http://www.dnaindia.com/sport/report-court-reserves-order-on-sachin-tendulkars-bharat-ratna-1924791|title=Court reserves order on Sachin Tendulkar's Bharat Ratna|date=25 November 2013|access-date=16 May 2014|location=Lucknow|newspaper=Daily News and Analysis|agency=Indo-Asian News Service|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140517121654/http://www.dnaindia.com/sport/report-court-reserves-order-on-sachin-tendulkars-bharat-ratna-1924791|archive-date=17 May 2014}}{{cite news|url=http://ibnlive.in.com/news/cricketnext/madras-hc-dismisses-pil-against-sachin-tendulkar-getting-bharat-ratna/437449-78.html|title=Madras HC dismisses PIL against Sachin Tendulkar getting Bharat Ratna|date=3 December 2013|access-date=16 May 2014|work=IBN Live|location=Chennai|url-status=dead|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140518024002/http://ibnlive.in.com/news/cricketnext/madras-hc-dismisses-pil-against-sachin-tendulkar-getting-bharat-ratna/437449-78.html|archive-date=18 May 2014}}{{cite news|url=http://www.thehindu.com/news/national/hc-dismisses-pil-challenging-bharat-ratna-to-sachin-rao/article5418856.ece|title=HC dismisses PIL challenging Bharat Ratna to Sachin, Rao|date=4 November 2013|access-date=16 May 2014|location=Chennai|newspaper=The Hindu|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140517120737/http://www.thehindu.com/news/national/hc-dismisses-pil-challenging-bharat-ratna-to-sachin-rao/article5418856.ece|archive-date=17 May 2014}}

=Criticism=

In 1977, the decision by then-prime minister Indira Gandhi to posthumously honor former Chief Minister of Tamil Nadu K. Kamaraj was criticized to have been aimed at placating the voters before the Tamil Nadu assembly elections in 1977.{{cite news |last=Roychowdhury |first=Adrija |date=12 February 2009 |title=Before Bhupen Hazarika, five other controversies surrounding the Bharat Ratna |url=https://indianexpress.com/article/research/bhupen-hazarika-bharat-ratna-subhas-bose-kamaraj-mgr-sachin-tendulkar-b-r-ambedkar/ |access-date=1 December 2023 |newspaper=Indian Express}} In 1988, the decision by then-prime minister Rajiv Gandhi (1984–89) to confer the award posthumously on former chief minister of Tamil Nadu, M. G. Ramachandran was criticized to have been aimed to influence voters prior to the Tamil Nadu assembly elections in 1989.{{cite news |url=http://www.dnaindia.com/india/column-it-s-time-to-junk-the-sullied-padma-awards-1506135 |title=It's time to junk the sullied Padma awards |date=11 February 2011 |access-date=17 May 2014 |location=Mumbai |newspaper=Daily News and Analysis |last=Hattangadi | first=Shekhar |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20141018003543/http://www.dnaindia.com/india/column-it-s-time-to-junk-the-sullied-padma-awards-1506135 |archive-date=18 October 2014}} The decision was also criticized for awarding Ramachandran before prominent independence activists B. R. Ambedkar and Vallabhbhai Patel, who were bestowed the honor later in 1990 and 1991 respectively.{{cite news |title='Politicking' over the Bharat Ratna award |url=http://www.hindustantimes.com/india-news/politicking-over-the-bharat-ratna-award/article1-268981.aspx |newspaper=Hindustan Times |date=13 January 2008 |access-date=16 May 2014 |location=New Delhi |author=Patranobis, Sutirtho |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20141018193017/http://www.hindustantimes.com/india-news/politicking-over-the-bharat-ratna-award/article1-268981.aspx |archive-date=18 October 2014}} Later, then-prime minister V.P. Singh was criticized for posthumously honoring B. R. Ambedkar, apparently in a bid to please the Dalit voters.{{cite journal |url=http://www.outlookindia.com/article.aspx?200543 |title=An Honourable Judgement: A Supreme Court ruling aims to restore the sanctity of the nation's highest awards |year=1996 |journal=Outlook |last1=Chatterjee |first1=Saibal |last2=Prakash |first2=Amit |publication-date=10 January 1996 |access-date=14 May 2014 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140515051918/http://www.outlookindia.com/article.aspx?200543 |archive-date=15 May 2014}}{{sfn |Guha |2001 |p=169}} Later, Ravi Shankar was accused of lobbying for the award.

The posthumous conferments of the award on the recipients who died before the Indian independence in 1947 or before the award was instituted in 1954, have been criticized by various authors and historians, stating that such conferments could lead to more demands to honor people like Maurya emperor Ashoka,{{cite news |date=25 December 2014 |title=Bharat Ratna shouldn't be given to dead people: Historian Guha |url=https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/india/bharat-ratna-shouldnt-be-given-to-dead-people-historian-guha/articleshow/45635766.cms |newspaper=The Times of India}}{{cite news |url=http://www.firstpost.com/india/bharat-ratna-for-vajpayee-malaviya-govt-needs-to-stop-politicising-the-reward-2014367.html |title=Bharat Ratna for Vajpayee, Malaviya: Govt needs to stop politicising the reward |date=25 December 2014 |access-date=8 November 2015 |last=Sharma |first=Sandipan |newspaper=Firstpost |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150126220208/http://www.firstpost.com/india/bharat-ratna-for-vajpayee-malaviya-govt-needs-to-stop-politicising-the-reward-2014367.html |archive-date=26 January 2015 |df=dmy-all}} Mughal emperor Akbar, Maratha emperor Shivaji, poet Rabindranath Tagore,{{cite news |url=http://www.ndtv.com/opinion/a-bharat-ratna-for-mahatma-gandhi-734711 |title=A Bharat Ratna for Mahatma Gandhi? |date=28 January 2015 |access-date=8 November 2015 |work=NDTV |last=Sopariwala |first=Dorab R. |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20151029034207/http://www.ndtv.com/opinion/a-bharat-ratna-for-mahatma-gandhi-734711 |archive-date=29 October 2015 |df=dmy-all}} Hindu spiritualist Swami Vivekananda,{{cite news |url=http://articles.economictimes.indiatimes.com/2012-01-07/news/30601975_1_highest-civilian-award-bharat-ratnas-vibhushan |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20151208155847/http://articles.economictimes.indiatimes.com/2012-01-07/news/30601975_1_highest-civilian-award-bharat-ratnas-vibhushan |url-status=dead |archive-date=8 December 2015 |title=Let us not degrade country's highest civilian honour Bharat Ratna |date=7 January 2012 |access-date=8 November 2015 |author=Ramaswami, T. R. |newspaper=The Economic Times}} independence activist Bal Gangadhar Tilak, and father of the nation Mahatma Gandhi.{{cite news |url=http://www.rediff.com/news/column/amberish-k-diwanji-mr-modi-why-not-a-bharat-ratna-for-the-mahatma/20141224.htm |title=Mr Modi, why not a Bharat Ratna for the Mahatma? |work=Rediff |date=24 December 2014 |access-date=8 November 2015 |last=Diwanji |first=Amberish K. |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20151119191548/http://www.rediff.com/news/column/amberish-k-diwanji-mr-modi-why-not-a-bharat-ratna-for-the-mahatma/20141224.htm |archive-date=19 November 2015 |df=dmy-all}} In 1991, then-prime minister P. V. Narasimha Rao was criticized for bestowing the award upon Sardar Patel in 1991, 41 years after his death in 1950; and upon Subhas Chandra Bose in 1992, who purportedly died in 1945.{{cite news |url=http://indianexpress.com/article/india/india-others/netaji-stature-bigger-than-bharat-ratna/ |title="Netaji stature bigger than Bharat Ratna": Kin say best way to honour him is to declassify govt files on his disappearance |newspaper=The Indian Express |date=11 August 2014 |access-date=8 November 2015 | location=Kolkata |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20151208114110/http://indianexpress.com/article/india/india-others/netaji-stature-bigger-than-bharat-ratna/ |archive-date=8 December 2015 |df=dmy-all}} In 2015, the prime minister Narendra Modi's decision to award Madan Mohan Malaviya, who died in 1946, close to the local body elections in Uttar Pradesh was also met with criticism.

A few of the conferments have been criticized for honoring personalities only after they received global recognition.{{cite news |url=http://www.telegraphindia.com/1120906/jsp/nation/story_15944154.jsp |title=Bharat Ratna cry for Bose |newspaper=The Telegraph |location=New Delhi |date=6 September 2012 |access-date=18 May 2014 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140519100034/http://www.telegraphindia.com/1120906/jsp/nation/story_15944154.jsp |archive-date=19 May 2014}} The award for Mother Teresa was announced in 1980, a year after she was awarded the Nobel Peace Prize.{{sfn |Guha |2001 |p=170}} Satyajit Ray received an Academy Honorary Award in 1992 followed by the Bharat Ratna the same year.{{cite web |url=http://aaspeechesdb.oscars.org/link/064-24/ |title= Acceptance Speeches: Satyajit Ray |access-date=18 May 2014 |publisher=Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140609212921/http://aaspeechesdb.oscars.org/link/064-24/ |archive-date=9 June 2014}} In 1999, Amartya Sen was awarded the Bharat Ratna, a year after his 1998 Nobel Memorial Prize in Economic Sciences.{{cite magazine |url=http://www.frontline.in/static/html/fl1603/16030300.htm |title=Bharat Ratna for Amartya Sen |magazine=Frontline |volume=16 |issue=3 |date=1999 |access-date=18 May 2014 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140519094707/http://www.frontline.in/static/html/fl1603/16030300.htm |archive-date=19 May 2014}}{{cite magazine |url=http://forbesindia.com/printcontent/35855 |title=Freedom of Expression: Indians are Becoming Increasingly Intolerant |magazine=Forbes India |date=23 August 2013 |access-date=18 May 2014 |author=Tripathi, Salil |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140519094021/http://forbesindia.com/printcontent/35855 |archive-date=19 May 2014}}

Awarding of Bharat Ratna to L. K. Advani was also criticised. Editorials of Indian newspapers have observed that the BJP strategically uses the Bharat Ratna to integrate figures like L K Advani, balancing narratives around mandir (temple) and Mandal (social justice).

Popular demands

Though, as per the statutes for the Bharat Ratna, the recommendations for the award can only be made by the prime minister to the president, there have been several demands from various political parties publicly to honor their leaders. In January 2008, Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) leader L. K. Advani wrote to then-prime minister Manmohan Singh recommending Singh's predecessor Atal Bihari Vajpayee for the award.{{cite news|url=http://www.telegraphindia.com/1080110/jsp/frontpage/story_8765534.jsp|title=Uneasy lies crown that awaits Ratna—Advani proposes Vajpayee's name, method and timing fuel murmurs|newspaper=The Telegraph|location=Kolkata|date=10 January 2008|access-date=19 May 2014|author=Chatterjee, Manini|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140521031231/http://www.telegraphindia.com/1080110/jsp/frontpage/story_8765534.jsp|archive-date=21 May 2014}} This was immediately followed by the Communist Party of India (Marxist) lobbying for their leader, Jyoti Basu, former Chief Minister of West Bengal though Basu himself said that he would decline the honour, even if awarded.{{cite news|url=http://www.dnaindia.com/india/report-jyoti-basu-can-be-given-bharat-ratna-cpi-m-1144394|title=Jyoti Basu can be given Bharat Ratna: CPI (M)|date=11 January 2008|access-date=19 May 2014|location=Kolkata|newspaper=Daily News and Analysis|agency=Press Trust of India|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140521032255/http://www.dnaindia.com/india/report-jyoti-basu-can-be-given-bharat-ratna-cpi-m-1144394|archive-date=21 May 2014}}{{cite news|url=http://www.hindu.com/2008/01/13/stories/2008011350130100.htm|title=Jyoti Basu "not in the race"|agency=Press Trust of India|date=13 January 2008|access-date=19 May 2014|location=Kolkata|url-status=dead|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140331181337/http://www.hindu.com/2008/01/13/stories/2008011350130100.htm|newspaper=The Hindu|archive-date=31 March 2014}} Similar demands were made by Telugu Desam Party, Bahujan Samaj Party, and Shiromani Akali Dal for their respective leaders N. T. Rama Rao, Kanshi Ram, and Parkash Singh Badal.{{cite news|url=http://www.thestatesman.net/news/26456-bharat-ratna-losing-its-sanctity.html|title=Bharat Ratna losing its sanctity?|work=The Statesman|date=24 November 2013|access-date=19 May 2014|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140520221105/http://www.thestatesman.net/news/26456-bharat-ratna-losing-its-sanctity.html|archive-date=20 May 2014}} In September 2015, regional political party Shiv Sena demanded the award for the independence activist Vinayak Damodar Savarkar stating that he had been "deliberately neglected by previous governments" but his family clarified that they are not making such demand and that the freedom fighter is known for his contribution towards independence movement and did not need an award for recognition.{{cite news|url=http://articles.economictimes.indiatimes.com/2015-09-15/news/66568740_1_bharat-ratna-sena-president-uddhav-thackeray-sena-mp|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160305144146/http://articles.economictimes.indiatimes.com/2015-09-15/news/66568740_1_bharat-ratna-sena-president-uddhav-thackeray-sena-mp|url-status=dead|archive-date=5 March 2016|title=Shiv Sena starts drive to collect 10 lakh signatures to get Bharat Ratna for Vinayak Damodar Savarkar|newspaper=The Economic Times|date=15 September 2015|access-date=7 November 2015}}{{cite news|url=http://www.mid-day.com/articles/shiv-sena-demands-bharat-ratna-for-veer-savarkar/16534152|title=Shiv Sena demands Bharat Ratna for Veer Savarkar|newspaper=Mid-Day|agency=Press Trust of India|date=14 September 2015|access-date=7 November 2015|location=New Delhi|url-status=live|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150926065901/http://www.mid-day.com/articles/shiv-sena-demands-bharat-ratna-for-veer-savarkar/16534152|archive-date=26 September 2015|df=dmy-all}}{{cite news|url=http://indianexpress.com/article/cities/mumbai/savarkar-doesnt-need-an-award-for-recognition-says-grand-nephew/|title=Savarkar doesn't need an award for recognition, says grand-nephew|newspaper=The Indian Express|access-date=7 November 2015|location=Mumbai|url-status=live|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20151019223415/http://indianexpress.com/article/cities/mumbai/savarkar-doesnt-need-an-award-for-recognition-says-grand-nephew/|archive-date=19 October 2015|df=dmy-all}}

Per the original statutes, sports-persons were not eligible for the award; however, a revision of the rules in December 2011 made eligible "any field of human endeavour". Subsequently, several sports-persons' names were discussed; amongst them were field-hockey player Dhyan Chand and former world chess champion Viswanathan Anand.{{cite news|url=http://www.firstpost.com/blogs/just-not-cricket-why-did-sachin-get-bharat-ratna-before-dhyan-chand-1234809.html|title=Just not cricket: Why did Sachin get Bharat Ratna before Dhyan Chand?|work=Firstpost|access-date=19 May 2014|date=17 November 2013|author=Mazoomdaar, Jay|url-status=live|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140621025934/http://www.firstpost.com/blogs/just-not-cricket-why-did-sachin-get-bharat-ratna-before-dhyan-chand-1234809.html|archive-date=21 June 2014|df=dmy-all}}{{cite magazine|url=http://indiatoday.intoday.in/story/former-olympians-fans-hold-rally-demanding-bharat-ratna-for-dhyan-chand-hockey/1/335126.html|title=Fans hold rally demanding Bharat Ratna for Dhyan Chand|magazine=India Today|date=8 January 2014|access-date=19 May 2014|location=New Delhi|author=Ray, Suman|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20141009044735/http://indiatoday.intoday.in/story/former-olympians-fans-hold-rally-demanding-bharat-ratna-for-dhyan-chand-hockey/1/335126.html|archive-date=9 October 2014}} In 2011, 82 members of parliament recommended Chand's name for the award to the Prime Minister's Office. In January 2012, the Ministry of Youth Affairs and Sports forwarded his name again, this time along with 2008 Summer Olympics gold medallist shooter Abhinav Bindra and mountaineer Tenzing Norgay while Bindra had already been recommended for the award in May 2013 by the National Rifle Association of India.{{cite news|url=http://sports.ndtv.com/othersports/hockey/211058-dhyan-chand-not-sachin-tendulkar-is-sports-ministrys-choice-for-bharat-ratna|title=Dhyan Chand, not Sachin Tendulkar, is Sports Ministry's choice for Bharat Ratna|publisher=NDTV Sports|date=19 July 2013|agency=Press Trust of India|access-date=19 May 2014|location=New Delhi|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130722125049/http://sports.ndtv.com/othersports/hockey/211058-dhyan-chand-not-sachin-tendulkar-is-sports-ministrys-choice-for-bharat-ratna|archive-date=22 July 2013}}{{cite news|url=http://sports.ndtv.com/othersports/othersports/207727-national-rifle-association-of-india-recommends-abhinav-bindra-for-bharat-ratna|title=National Rifle Association of India recommends Abhinav Bindra for Bharat Ratna|work=NDTV Sports|date=13 May 2013|agency=Press Trust of India|access-date=19 May 2014|location=New Delhi|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20141020171218/http://sports.ndtv.com/shooting/news/207727-national-rifle-association-of-india-recommends-abhinav-bindra-for-bharat-ratna|archive-date=20 October 2014}} In July 2013, the ministry again recommended Dhyan Chand.{{cite news|url=http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/sports/hockey/top-stories/Sports-ministry-recommended-Dhyan-Chand-for-Bharat-Ratna/articleshow/30352166.cms|title=Sports ministry recommended Dhyan Chand for Bharat Ratna|newspaper=The Times of India|author=Shukla, Neha|date=13 February 2014|access-date=19 May 2014|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20141020172853/http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/sports/hockey/top-stories/Sports-ministry-recommended-Dhyan-Chand-for-Bharat-Ratna/articleshow/30352166.cms|archive-date=20 October 2014}} However, in November 2013, cricketer Sachin Tendulkar became the first sports-person to receive the honour and this garnered much criticism for the government.{{cite news|url=http://www.mid-day.com/articles/i-have-no-hope-of-bharat-ratna-for-dhyan-chand-now-ashok-kumar/15070023|title=I have no hope of Bharat Ratna for Dhyan Chand now: Ashok Kumar|newspaper=Mid Day|date=5 February 2014|access-date=22 August 2015|location=Mumbai|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140912063552/http://www.mid-day.com/articles/i-have-no-hope-of-bharat-ratna-for-dhyan-chand-now-ashok-kumar/15070023|archive-date=12 September 2014|author=Ferro, Ashwin}}{{cite news|url=http://www.rediff.com/cricket/report/the-govt-should-do-away-with-the-concept-of-bharat-ratna-shivanand-tiwari-manu-shankar/20131119.htm|title=Dhyan Chand deserved Bharat Ratna more than Sachin|work=Rediff.com|access-date=19 May 2014|date=19 November 2013|url-status=live|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140520220959/http://www.rediff.com/cricket/report/the-govt-should-do-away-with-the-concept-of-bharat-ratna-shivanand-tiwari-manu-shankar/20131119.htm|archive-date=20 May 2014|df=dmy-all}}{{cite news|url=http://zeenews.india.com/sports/cricket/sachin%20tendulkar%20retires/bharat-ratna-if-sachin-tendulkar-deserves-it-then-why-not-dhyan-chand_773295.html|title=Bharat Ratna: If Sachin Tendulkar deserves it then why not Dhyan Chand?|work=Zee News|access-date=19 May 2014|date=18 November 2013|author=Nagpal, Deepak|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150822124437/http://zeenews.india.com/sports/cricket/sachin%20tendulkar%20retires/bharat-ratna-if-sachin-tendulkar-deserves-it-then-why-not-dhyan-chand_773295.html|archive-date=22 August 2015}}

In 2012, a litigation was filed in the Karnataka High Court requesting the court to issue a direction to the Ministry of Home Affairs to confer the Bharat Ratna upon Mahatma Gandhi. On 27 January 2014, a counsel appearing for the petitioner noted that after multiple representations from the petitioner, they were provided with the information under RTI that the recommendations to confer the award on Gandhi have been received multiple times in the past and were forwarded to the Prime Minister's Office. A Division bench consisting of the Chief Justice and another judge, dismissed the petition stating that the subject is not amenable to any adjudication process and the nominations and conferment process is stated to be informal and in the discretion of the highest authority in the Government.{{cite news|url=http://www.thehindu.com/news/national/karnataka/bharat-ratna-for-mahatma-gandhi/article5623953.ece|title=Bharat Ratna for Mahatma Gandhi?|date=28 January 2014|access-date=7 November 2015|location=Bangalore|newspaper=The Hindu|url-status=live|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140516150846/http://www.thehindu.com/news/national/karnataka/bharat-ratna-for-mahatma-gandhi/article5623953.ece|archive-date=16 May 2014|df=dmy-all}}{{cite web|url=http://judgmenthck.kar.nic.in/judgments/bitstream/123456789/921146/1/WP3149-14-27-01-2014.pdf|title=Union of India Vs. Manjunath|date=27 January 2014|access-date=7 November 2015|publisher=High Court of Karnataka|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20151107160359/http://judgmenthck.kar.nic.in/judgments/bitstream/123456789/921146/1/WP3149-14-27-01-2014.pdf|archive-date=7 November 2015}}{{cite web|url=http://judgmenthck.kar.nic.in/judgments/handle/123456789/921146?mode=full&submit_simple=Show+full+item+record|title=High Court of Karnataka: WP 3149/2014|date=27 January 2014|access-date=7 November 2015|publisher=High Court of Karnataka|url-status=live|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160624040914/http://judgmenthck.kar.nic.in/judgments/handle/123456789/921146?mode=full&submit_simple=Show+full+item+record|archive-date=24 June 2016|df=dmy-all}}

List of recipients

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|+ Key

{{legend|#E9D4C9| + Naturalised citizen recipient|outline=orange|border=1px solid red}}

|{{legend|#FFECC8| {{asterisk}} Non-citizen recipient|outline=orange|border=1px solid orange}}

|{{legend|#CEE8F0| {{Hash}} Posthumous recipient|outline=blue|border=1px solid blue}}

class="wikitable sortable" style="font-size: 100%"

|+List of recipients of Bharat Ratna{{cite report |title=List of recipients of Bharat Ratna (1954–2019) |url=https://www.mha.gov.in/sites/default/files/ListofBRrecepients_09082019.pdf |url-status=live |archive-url=https://archive.today/20220613021535/https://www.mha.gov.in/sites/default/files/ListofBRrecepients_09082019.pdf |archive-date=13 June 2022 |access-date=13 June 2022 |publisher=Ministry of Home Affairs (India) |df=dmy-all}}

scope="col" style="width:3%" |Year

! scope="col" style="width:7%" |Image

! scope="col" style="width:10%" |Recipient

! scope="col" style="width:10%"|State / Country{{efn|For people born in India, it represents the current Indian state/UT corresponding to the birthplace. For naturalized citizens, it represents the state of domicile. For foreign recipients, it lists the country of citizenship.}}

! scope="col" style="width:7%"|Life span

! scope="col" style="width:63%"|Notes

align="center" rowspan=3|1954

|align="center" style="width:1%"|100px

|C. Rajagopalachari

|Tamil Nadu

|1878–1972

|Rajagopalachari was an independence activist, who served as the last Governor-General of India from 1948 to 50).{{cite news|last=Raman|first=Mohan V.|date=25 November 2013|title=All's in a letter|newspaper=The Hindu|url=https://www.thehindu.com/features/metroplus/alls-in-a-letter/article5389739.ece|access-date=31 July 2021|issn=0971-751X}} Earlier, he served as the first governor of West Bengal in 1947–48.{{cite encyclopedia|url=https://www.britannica.com/biography/Chakravarti-Rajagopalachari|title=Profile: Chakravarti Rajagopalachari|encyclopedia=Encyclopædia Britannica|access-date=12 September 2015|url-status=live|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160310113807/https://www.britannica.com/biography/Chakravarti-Rajagopalachari|archive-date=10 March 2016|df=dmy-all}} He was the home minister in the first Nehru cabinet succeeding Sardar Vallabhai Patel in 1950.{{cite book|title=Jawaharlal Nehru, a Biography: A Biography|first=Sankar|last=Ghose|publisher=Allied Publishers|year=1993|isbn=978-81-702-3369-5|page=331}} He served as the chief minister of Madras Presidency from 1937 to 1939 and later as the chief minister of Tamil Nadu between 1952 and 1954.{{cite web|url=http://www.tn.gov.in/tnassembly/cmlist-1920.htm|title=Chief Ministers of Tamil Nadu since 1920|publisher=Government of Tamil Nadu|access-date=12 September 2015|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130423150027/http://www.tn.gov.in/tnassembly/cmlist-1920.htm|archive-date=23 April 2013}} He founded the Swatantra Party in 1959.{{cite book|title=The Swatantra Party and Indian Conservatism|year=2008|orig-date=1967|publisher=Harvard University|first=Howard Loyd|last=Erdman|isbn=978-0-521-04980-1|page=66}}

align="center" |100px

|Sarvepalli Radhakrishnan

|Tamil Nadu

|1888–1975

|Radhakrishnan served as the first Vice-President of India from 1952 to 1962 and as the second President of India from 1962 to 1967).{{cite web|url=http://presidentofindia.nic.in/former-presidents.htm|title=Former Presidents of India|publisher=Government of India|access-date=12 May 2014|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20141016060850/http://presidentofindia.nic.in/former-presidents.htm|archive-date=16 October 2014}}{{cite web|url=http://vicepresidentofindia.nic.in/former.asp|title=Former Vice Presidents of India|publisher=Government of India|access-date=12 May 2014|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20141017115825/http://vicepresidentofindia.nic.in/former.asp|archive-date=17 October 2014}} Since 1962, his birthday of 5 September is observed annually as Teachers' Day in India.{{cite press release|url=http://pib.nic.in/feature/feyr98/fe0898/f2808981.html|title=Dr. Sarvepalli Radhakrishnan: The Philosopher President|publisher=Press Information Bureau (PIB), Government of India|access-date=12 September 2015|url-status=live|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150828144109/http://pib.nic.in/feature/feyr98/fe0898/f2808981.html|archive-date=28 August 2015|df=dmy-all}}

align="center"|100px

|C. V. Raman

|Tamil Nadu

|1888–1970

|Raman was a physicist known for his work in the field of light scattering.{{cite web|title=Sir Venkata Raman Facts|publisher=Nobel Foundation|url=https://www.nobelprize.org/nobel_prizes/physics/laureates/1930/raman-facts.html|access-date=12 September 2015|url-status=live|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150917083216/http://www.nobelprize.org/nobel_prizes/physics/laureates/1930/raman-facts.html|archive-date=17 September 2015|df=dmy-all}} He is known for the discovery of Raman scattering and Raman spectroscopy and was presented the Nobel Prize in Physics in 1930.{{cite web|title=The Nobel Prize in Physics 1930|publisher=Nobel Foundation|url=http://nobelprize.org/nobel_prizes/physics/laureates/1930/index.html|access-date=8 May 2014|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20141011205133/http://www.nobelprize.org/nobel_prizes/physics/laureates/1930/index.html|archive-date=11 October 2014}}

align="center" rowspan="3"|1955

|align="center"|100px

|Bhagwan Das

|Uttar Pradesh

|1869–1958

|Bhagwan Das was an independence activist, theosophist and educationist. He co-founded Kashi Vidyapith and worked with Madan Mohan Malaviya to establish the Banaras Hindu University.{{cite web|title=About Us—Mahatma Gandhi Kashi Vidyapith Varanasi|url=http://mgkvp.ac.in/history1.htm|publisher=Mahatma Gandhi Kashi Vidyapith|access-date=8 May 2014|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140626084206/http://mgkvp.ac.in/history1.htm|archive-date=26 June 2014}}{{cite news|url=http://www.ndtv.com/india-news/varanasi-the-city-of-bharat-ratnas-721172|title=Varanasi: The City of Bharat Ratnas|publisher=NDTV|date=1 January 2015|access-date=12 September 2015|last=Masih|first=Niha|url-status=live|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20151003154757/http://www.ndtv.com/india-news/varanasi-the-city-of-bharat-ratnas-721172|archive-date=3 October 2015|df=dmy-all}}

align="center"|100px

|M. Visvesvaraya

|Karnataka

|1861-1962

|Visvesvaraya was a civil engineer and statesman. He served as the 19th Diwan of Mysore from 1912 to 1918.{{cite news|url=https://www.thehindu.com/thehindu/mp/2002/08/15/stories/2002081500220200.htm|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20030622220420/http://www.thehindu.com/thehindu/mp/2002/08/15/stories/2002081500220200.htm|url-status=dead|archive-date=22 June 2003|newspaper=The Hindu|title=Diwans take over|date=15 August 2002}} His birthday, 15 September, is observed annually as Engineer's Day in India.{{cite news|title=Engineer's Day in India: celebrating M. Visvesvaraya's birthday|url=http://www.ibnlive.com/news/india/engineers-day-in-india-celebrating-m-visvesvarayas-birthday-507944.html|work=IBN Live|date=15 September 2012|access-date=12 September 2015|location=New Delhi|url-status=live|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150916194050/http://www.ibnlive.com/news/india/engineers-day-in-india-celebrating-m-visvesvarayas-birthday-507944.html|archive-date=16 September 2015|df=dmy-all}}

align="center"|100px

|Jawaharlal Nehru

|Uttar Pradesh

|1889–1964

|Nehru was an independence activist and politician, who was the first and the longest-serving Prime Minister of India from 1947 to 1964.{{cite web|url=http://pmindia.gov.in/en/former-prime-ministers/|title=Prime Ministers of India|publisher=Prime Minister's Office, Government of India|access-date=12 May 2014|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20141009232119/http://pmindia.gov.in/en/former-prime-ministers/|archive-date=9 October 2014}}{{cite news|url=http://www.telegraphindia.com/1140111/jsp/opinion/story_17764652.jsp|title=Leave it to history: India's best and worst prime ministerse|newspaper=The Telegraph|location=Calcutta|access-date=12 September 2015|date=11 January 2014|last=Guha|first=Ramachandra|url-status=dead|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160304123226/http://www.telegraphindia.com/1140111/jsp/opinion/story_17764652.jsp|archive-date=4 March 2016|df=dmy-all}}

align="center"|1957

|align="center"|100px

|Govind Ballabh Pant

|Uttar Pradesh

|1887–1961

|Pant was an independence activist and politician, who served as the premier of United Provinces (1937–39, 1946–50) and as the first chief minister of Uttar Pradesh from 1950 to 1954.{{cite web|title=Chief Minister of Uttar Pradesh|publisher=Uttar Pradesh Legislative Assembly|url=http://uplegisassembly.gov.in/CHIEF%20MINISTERS.HTM|access-date=9 May 2014|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140721050934/http://uplegisassembly.gov.in/CHIEF%20MINISTERS.HTM|archive-date=21 July 2014}} He served as Union Home Minister from 1955 to 1961.{{cite news|title=Nation pays homage to Pandit Govind Ballabh Pant on his 127th birth anniversary|newspaper=Business Standard|date=10 September 2014|url=http://www.business-standard.com/article/news-ani/nation-pays-homage-to-pandit-govind-ballabh-pant-on-his-127th-birth-anniversary-114091000642_1.html|access-date=12 September 2015|location=New Delhi|url-status=live|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160305164128/http://www.business-standard.com/article/news-ani/nation-pays-homage-to-pandit-govind-ballabh-pant-on-his-127th-birth-anniversary-114091000642_1.html|archive-date=5 March 2016|df=dmy-all}}

align="center"|1958

|align="center"|100px

|Dhondo Keshav Karve

|Maharashtra

|1858–1962

|Karve was a social reformer and educator, known for his work on education for women and remarriage of Hindu widows. He established the Widow Marriage Association (1883), Hindu Widows Home (1896), and started Shreemati Nathibai Damodar Thackersey Women's University in 1916.{{cite magazine|title=Remembering Maharshi Karve, the man who set up India's first university for women |url=https://www.indiatoday.in/education-today/gk-current-affairs/story/maharshi-karve-318508-2016-04-18 |date=18 April 2016| access-date=21 May 2023 |magazine=India Today}}

align="center" rowspan="2"|1961

|align="center"|100px

|Bidhan Chandra Roy

|West Bengal

|1882–1962

|Roy was a physician, politician and educationist. He served as the second Chief Minister of West Bengal from 1948 to 1962 and is known as the "Maker of Modern West Bengal".{{cite news|url=http://www.thehindu.com/opinion/open-page/a-doctor-par-excellence/article2153732.ece|title=A doctor par excellence|newspaper=The Hindu|date=3 July 2011|access-date=12 September 2015|last=Kalra|first=R.N.|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150912170057/http://www.thehindu.com/opinion/open-page/a-doctor-par-excellence/article2153732.ece|archive-date=12 September 2015}} His birthday on 1 July is observed annually as the National Doctors' Day in India.{{cite web|url=http://wbassembly.gov.in/html/permiChMin.html|title=Premiers/Chief Ministers of West Bengal|publisher=West Bengal Legislative Assembly|access-date=10 May 2014|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140512213639/http://wbassembly.gov.in/html/permiChMin.html|archive-date=12 May 2014}}

align="center"|100px

|Purushottam Das Tandon

|Uttar Pradesh

|1882–1962

|Tandon was an independence activist and politician, who served as the speaker of the Uttar Pradesh Legislative Assembly from 1937 to 1950.{{cite encyclopedia|url=https://www.britannica.com/biography/Purushottam-Das-Tandon|title=Profile: Purushottam Das Tandon|encyclopedia=Encyclopædia Britannica|access-date=12 September 2015|url-status=live|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150919155326/https://www.britannica.com/biography/Purushottam-Das-Tandon|archive-date=19 September 2015|df=dmy-all}} He was actively involved in a campaign to get official language status to Hindi.{{cite book |last1=Saraf |first1=Nandini |title=The Life and Times of Lokmanya Tilak |date=2012 |publisher=Prabhat Prakashan |isbn=978-81-8430-152-6 |page=279}}

align="center"|1962

|align="center"|100px

|Rajendra Prasad

|Bihar

|1884–1963

|Prasad was an independence activist, lawyer and statesman, who was associated with Mahatma Gandhi in the Champaran Satyagraha in Bihar and non-cooperation movement.{{sfn|Weber|2004|p=138}}{{cite encyclopedia|url=https://www.britannica.com/biography/Rajendra-Prasad|title=Profile: Rajendra Prasad|encyclopedia=Encyclopædia Britannica|access-date=12 September 2015|url-status=live|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150909055336/https://www.britannica.com/biography/Rajendra-Prasad|archive-date=9 September 2015|df=dmy-all}} Became the president of Constituent Assembly of India. He was later elected as the first President of India (1950–62).

align="center" rowspan="2"|1963

|align="center"|100px

|Zakir Husain

|Telangana

|1897–1969

|Husain was an independence activist and philosopher, who served as the Vice Chancellor of Aligarh Muslim University (1948–56) and the Governor of Bihar (1957–62).{{sfn|Taneja|2000|p=167}} Later, he was elected as second vice-president of India (1962–67) and went on to become the third President of India (1967–69).

align="center"|100px

|Pandurang Vaman Kane

|Maharashtra

|1880–1972

|Kane was an indologist and Sanskrit scholar, known for his five volume literary work, History of Dharmaśāstra: Ancient and Medieval Religious and Civil Law in India.{{cite web|url=http://ignca.nic.in/nl003109.htm|title=From the Bookshelves of IGNCA: Texts on Dharmashastra wellspring of Indian code for life|publisher=Indira Gandhi National Centre of the Arts|access-date=13 September 2015|url-status=dead|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160304102331/http://ignca.nic.in/nl003109.htm|archive-date=4 March 2016|df=dmy-all}}{{cite web|url=http://mu.ac.in/portal/alumni/|title=Mumbai University Alumni|publisher=University of Mumbai|access-date=13 September 2015|url-status=dead|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150904113944/http://mu.ac.in/portal/alumni/|archive-date=4 September 2015|df=dmy-all}}

align="center"|1966

|align="center"|100px

|style="background-color:#CEE8F0;"|Lal Bahadur Shastri{{sup|{{Hash}}}}

|Uttar Pradesh

|1904–1966

|Shastri was an independence activist, known for his slogan "Jai Jawan Jai Kisan" ("Hail to the Soldier, hail to the Farmer").{{cite press release|url=http://pib.nic.in/archieve/others/gpmi.html|title=Gallery of Prime Ministers of India|publisher=Press Information Bureau (PIB)|access-date=13 September 2015|url-status=live|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150804040142/http://pib.nic.in/archieve/others/gpmi.html|archive-date=4 August 2015|df=dmy-all}} He served as second Prime Minister of India (1964–66) and led the country during the Indo-Pakistani War of 1965.{{cite encyclopedia|url=https://www.britannica.com/biography/Lal-Bahadur-Shastri|title=Profile: Lal Bahadur Shastri|encyclopedia=Encyclopædia Britannica|access-date=13 September 2015|url-status=live|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150906033024/https://www.britannica.com/biography/Lal-Bahadur-Shastri|archive-date=6 September 2015|df=dmy-all}}

align="center"|1971

|align="center"|100px

|Indira Gandhi

|Uttar Pradesh

|1917–1984

|Indira Gandhi was the Prime Minister of India during 1966–77 and 1980–84. She is known as the "Iron Lady of India", as she led India during the Indo-Pakistani War of 1971 and the concurrent Bangladesh Liberation War which led to the formation of Bangladesh.{{cite news|url=http://www.asiantribune.com/news/2011/11/18/indira-gandhi-iron-lady-india|title=Indira Gandhi: Iron Lady of India|author=Thelikorala, Sulakshi|newspaper=Asian Tribune|publisher=World Institute For Asian Studies|date=18 November 2011|access-date=13 September 2015|url-status=dead|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160101041543/http://www.asiantribune.com/news/2011/11/18/indira-gandhi-iron-lady-india|archive-date=1 January 2016|df=dmy-all}}{{cite encyclopedia|url=https://www.britannica.com/biography/Indira-Gandhi|title=Profile: Indira Gandhi|encyclopedia=Encyclopædia Britannica|access-date=13 September 2015|url-status=live|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150905092126/https://www.britannica.com/biography/Indira-Gandhi|archive-date=5 September 2015|df=dmy-all}}

align="center"|1975

|align="center"|100px

|V. V. Giri

|Odisha

|1894–1980

|Giri was an independence activist, who organized trade unions and facilitated their participation in the fight for independence. Post-independence, Giri held positions of Governor of Uttar Pradesh, Kerala and Mysore state and other cabinet ministries.{{cite book|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=6HAeAgAAQBAJ&pg=PA240|title=Historical Dictionary of India|pages=240|last=Mansingh|first=Surjit|publisher=Scarecrow Press|year=2006|isbn=978-0-8108-6502-0|url-status=live|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180228183849/https://books.google.com/books?id=6HAeAgAAQBAJ&pg=PA240|archive-date=28 February 2018|df=dmy-all}} He became the first acting president and was eventually elected as the fourth President of India, serving from 1969 to 1974.{{cite book|last=Dubey|first=Scharada|author-link=Scharada Dubey|title=First among equals President of India|year=2009|publisher=Westland|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=ToBFJZiRsxMC&pg=PA37|isbn=978-81-89975-53-1|pages=37–44|url-status=live|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140707073933/http://books.google.com/books?id=ToBFJZiRsxMC&pg=PA37|archive-date=7 July 2014|df=dmy-all}}

align="center"|1976

|align="center"|100px

|style="background-color:#CEE8F0;"|K. Kamaraj{{sup|{{Hash}}}}

|Tamil Nadu

|1903–1975

|Kamaraj was an independence activist, freedom fighter, and politician who served as the chief minister of Tamil Nadu for over nine years, between 1954 and 1963.{{cite web|url=http://www.assembly.tn.gov.in/archive/list/assemblies-overview.htm|title=Details of terms of successive legislative assemblies constituted under the constitution of India|publisher=Tamil Nadu Legislative Assembly|access-date=10 May 2014|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20141006083126/http://www.assembly.tn.gov.in/archive/list/assemblies-overview.htm|archive-date=6 October 2014}} He was known as the "King Maker", as he was the president of the Indian National Congress, when electing Lal Bahadur Shastri the prime minister after Nehru's death and Indira Gandhi after Shastri's death, his followers idolized him as "Perunthalaivar" (Great Leader). He is the founder of the Indian political party Indian National Congress (Organisation).{{cite encyclopedia|url=https://www.britannica.com/biography/Kumaraswami-Kamaraj|title=Profile: Kumaraswami Kamaraj|encyclopedia=Encyclopædia Britannica|access-date=13 September 2015|url-status=live|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150906011133/https://www.britannica.com/biography/Kumaraswami-Kamaraj|archive-date=6 September 2015|df=dmy-all}}

align="center"|1980

|align="center"|100px

|style="background-color:#E9D4C9;"|Mother Teresa {{sup|+}}

|West Bengal
({{tooltip|b.|born}}Skopje,
North Macedonia)

|1910–1997

|Mother Teresa was a Catholic nun and founder of the Missionaries of Charity, a religious congregation, which manages homes for diseased people.{{cite web|url=https://www.nobelprize.org/nobel_prizes/peace/laureates/1979/index.html|title=The Nobel Peace Prize 1979|publisher=Nobel Foundation|access-date=12 May 2014|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20141016093455/http://www.nobelprize.org/nobel_prizes/peace/laureates/1979/index.html|archive-date=16 October 2014}} She was the recipient of the Nobel Peace Prize for her humanitarian work in 1979.{{cite web|url=https://www.nobelprize.org/nobel_prizes/peace/laureates/1979/teresa-bio.html|title=Mother Teresa—Biographical|publisher=Nobel Foundation|access-date=12 May 2014|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20141011210335/http://www.nobelprize.org/nobel_prizes/peace/laureates/1979/teresa-bio.html|archive-date=11 October 2014}} She was beatified on 19 October 2003 by Pope John Paul II and canonised on 4 September 2016 by Pope Francis.{{cite encyclopedia|url=https://www.britannica.com/biography/Mother-Teresa|title=Profile: Blessed Mother Teresa|encyclopedia=Encyclopædia Britannica|access-date=13 September 2015|url-status=live|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150906044928/https://www.britannica.com/biography/Mother-Teresa|archive-date=6 September 2015|df=dmy-all}}{{tertiary source inline|date=October 2021}}

align="center"|1983

|align="center"|100px

|style="background-color:#CEE8F0;"|Vinoba Bhave{{sup|{{Hash}}}}

|Maharashtra

|1895–1982

|Bhave was an independence activist, social reformer and an associate of Mahatma Gandhi, known for his Bhoodan movement.{{cite web |url=http://www.markshep.com/nonviolence/GT_Vinoba.html |title=The King of Kindness: Vinoba Bhave and His Nonviolent Revolution |publisher=Markshep |access-date=13 June 2012 |archive-date=14 January 2010 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20100114025951/http://www.markshep.com/nonviolence/GT_Vinoba.html |url-status=dead }}{{cite encyclopedia|url=https://www.britannica.com/biography/Vinoba-Bhave|title=Profile: Vinoba Bhave|encyclopedia=Encyclopædia Britannica|access-date=13 September 2015|url-status=live|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150906041532/https://www.britannica.com/biography/Vinoba-Bhave|archive-date=6 September 2015|df=dmy-all}} He was known by the honorific title "Acharya" ("teacher") and was awarded the Ramon Magsaysay Award (1958) for his humanitarian work.{{cite web|url=http://www.rmaf.org.ph/newrmaf/main/awardees/filter/8/b/all/all/0/1|title=Ramon Magsaysay Award winners|publisher=Ramon Magsaysay Award Foundation|access-date=12 May 2014|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140512223151/http://www.rmaf.org.ph/newrmaf/main/awardees/filter/8/b/all/all/0/1|archive-date=12 May 2014}}

align="center"|1987

|align="center"|100px

|style="background-color:#FFECC8;"|Abdul Ghaffar Khan{{sup|{{asterisk}}}}

|Pakistan

|1890–1988

|Khan was an independence activist, a follower of Mahatma Gandhi and an advocate of Hindu–Muslim unity in the subcontinent.{{cite book|title=An American Witness to India's Partition|first=Phillips|last=Talbot|year=2007|publisher=Sage Publications|isbn=978-0-7619-3618-3}} He was known as "Frontier Gandhi" and was part of the Khilafat Movement in 1920 and founded the Khudai Khidmatgar ("Red Shirt movement") in 1929.{{cite encyclopedia|url=https://www.britannica.com/biography/Khan-Abdul-Ghaffar-Khan|title=Profile: Abdul Ghaffar Khan|encyclopedia=Encyclopædia Britannica|access-date=13 September 2015|url-status=live|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150918183329/https://www.britannica.com/biography/Khan-Abdul-Ghaffar-Khan|archive-date=18 September 2015|df=dmy-all}}{{cite news|last=Service|first=Tribune News|title=Uttarakhand journalist gave Frontier Gandhi title to Abdul Gaffar Khan, claims book|url=https://www.tribuneindia.com/news/archive/features/uttarakhand-journalist-gave-frontier-gandhi-title-to-abdul-gaffar-khan-claims-book-174496|access-date=8 April 2021|work=Tribuneindia News Service|language=en}}{{cite book |last=Burrell |first=David B. |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=mWb7AAAAQBAJ&dq=Khudai+Khidmatgar+founded&pg=PA137 |title=Towards a Jewish-Christian-Muslim Theology |date=2014-01-07 |publisher=John Wiley & Sons |isbn=978-1-118-72411-8 |pages=137}}

align="center"|1988

|align="center"|100px

|style="background-color:#CEE8F0;"|M. G. Ramachandran{{efn|name=MGR|In 1960, Ramachandran was awarded the Padma Shri, the fourth highest civilian award, but declined as the invitation was written in the Devanagari script and not Tamil.{{cite web|url=http://news.rediff.com/slide-show/2010/feb/01/slide-show-1-the-checkered-history-of-our-national-honours.htm|title=The chequered history of our national honours|work=Rediff.com|date=1 February 2010|access-date=17 May 2014|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140518002156/http://news.rediff.com/slide-show/2010/feb/01/slide-show-1-the-checkered-history-of-our-national-honours.htm|archive-date=18 May 2014}}}}{{sup|{{Hash}}}}

|Tamil Nadu

|1917–1987

|M. G. Ramachandran (M.G.R.), the first actor to become the chief minister in the Republic of India, served as the chief minister of Tamil Nadu for over ten years, between 1977 and 1987. Considered one of the greatest political leaders and actors of the state, his followers idolize him as "Puratchi Thalaivar" (Revolutionary Leader).{{cite news|url=https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/city/chennai/chennai-central-renamed-as-puratchi-thalaivar-dr-m-g-ramachandran-central-railway-station/articleshow/68748886.cms|title=Chennai Central renamed after Puratchi Thalaivar Dr M G Ramachandran|date=26 June 2019|access-date=1 December 2023|newspaper=The Times of India}} He is the founder of the Indian political party All India Anna Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam.

align="center" rowspan="2"|1990

|align="center"|100px

|style="background-color:#CEE8F0;"|B. R. Ambedkar{{sup|{{Hash}}}}

|Madhya Pradesh

|1891–1956

|Ambedkar was a social reformer, lawyer and a Dalit leader, who headed the committee drafting the Indian Constitution while also serving as the first Law Minister of India later.{{cite web|title=Some Facts of Constituent Assembly|work=Parliament of India|publisher=National Informatics Centre|url=http://parliamentofindia.nic.in/ls/debates/facts.htm|access-date=12 May 2014|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110511104514/http://parliamentofindia.nic.in/ls/debates/facts.htm|archive-date=11 May 2011}}{{cite encyclopedia|url=https://www.britannica.com/biography/Bhimrao-Ramji-Ambedkar|title=Profile: Bhimrao Ramji Ambedkar|encyclopedia=Encyclopædia Britannica|access-date=13 September 2015|url-status=live|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150907132631/https://www.britannica.com/biography/Bhimrao-Ramji-Ambedkar|archive-date=7 September 2015|df=dmy-all}} Ambedkar campaigned against the social discrimination of Dalits and the caste system in India.{{cite news|url=http://www.thehindu.com/opinion/open-page/lets-help-realise-the-vision-of-ambedkar-for-dalits/article4614717.ece|title=Let's help realise the vision of Ambedkar for Dalits|date=14 April 2013|access-date=7 November 2015|author=Jain, Anurodh Lalit|newspaper=The Hindu|url-status=live|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20161214232235/http://www.thehindu.com/opinion/open-page/lets-help-realise-the-vision-of-ambedkar-for-dalits/article4614717.ece|archive-date=14 December 2016|df=dmy-all}}{{cite web|url=http://www.outlookindia.com/article/untouchability-the-dead-cow-and-the-brahmin/217660|title=Untouchability, The Dead Cow And The Brahmin|date=22 October 2002|access-date=7 November 2015|publisher=Outlook|url-status=dead|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20151109222842/http://www.outlookindia.com/article/untouchability-the-dead-cow-and-the-brahmin/217660|archive-date=9 November 2015|df=dmy-all}} He was associated with the Dalit Buddhist movement after converting to Buddhism on 14 October 1956.{{cite news|url=http://www.thehindu.com/opinion/op-ed/comment-article-from-ananya-vajpeyi-owning-ambedkar-sans-his-views/article7583272.ece|title=Owning Ambedkar sans his views|date=27 August 2015|access-date=7 November 2015|author=Vajpeyi, Ananya|newspaper=The Hindu|url-status=live|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160107050620/http://www.thehindu.com/opinion/op-ed/comment-article-from-ananya-vajpeyi-owning-ambedkar-sans-his-views/article7583272.ece|archive-date=7 January 2016|df=dmy-all}}{{cite news|url=http://www.dnaindia.com/mumbai/report-gautam-buddha-s-ashes-to-travel-from-sri-lanka-to-maharashtra-next-week-2132594|title=Gautam Buddha's ashes to travel from Sri Lanka to Maharashtra next week|date=8 October 2015|access-date=7 November 2015|publisher=Daily News Analysis|author=Srivastava, Kanchan|url-status=live|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20151020201943/http://www.dnaindia.com/mumbai/report-gautam-buddha-s-ashes-to-travel-from-sri-lanka-to-maharashtra-next-week-2132594|archive-date=20 October 2015|df=dmy-all}}

align="center"|100px

|style="background-color:#FFECC8;"|Nelson Mandela{{sup|{{asterisk}}}}

|South Africa

|1918–2013

|Mandela was the leader of the Anti-Apartheid Movement in South Africa and later served as the President of South Africa (1994–99).{{cite web|url=https://www.nobelprize.org/nobel_prizes/peace/laureates/1993/mandela-bio.html|title=Nelson Mandela—Biographical|publisher=Nobel Foundation|access-date=12 May 2014|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20141017183711/http://www.nobelprize.org/nobel_prizes/peace/laureates/1993/mandela-bio.html|archive-date=17 October 2014}}{{cite encyclopedia|url=https://www.britannica.com/biography/Nelson-Mandela|title=Profile: Nelson Mandela|encyclopedia=Encyclopædia Britannica|access-date=13 September 2015|url-status=live|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150905092959/https://www.britannica.com/biography/Nelson-Mandela|archive-date=5 September 2015|df=dmy-all}} Often called as the "Gandhi of South Africa", Mandela's African National Congress movement was influenced by Gandhian philosophy.{{cite news|url=http://www.deccanchronicle.com/131206/news-current-affairs/article/nelson-mandela-gandhi-south-africa-had-strong-indian-connections|title=Nelson Mandela, the 'Gandhi of South Africa', had strong Indian connections|date=7 December 2013|access-date=7 November 2015|newspaper=Deccan Chronicle|agency=Press Trust of India|location=Johannesburg|url-status=dead|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160305075848/http://www.deccanchronicle.com/131206/news-current-affairs/article/nelson-mandela-gandhi-south-africa-had-strong-indian-connections|archive-date=5 March 2016|df=dmy-all}}{{cite web|url=http://www.anc.org.za/show.php?id=4089 |title=Nelson Mandela's speech at unveiling of Gandhi Memorial |author=Mandela, Nelson |date=6 June 1993 |access-date=7 November 2015 |location=Pietermaritzburg |publisher=African National Congress |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150908033209/http://www.anc.org.za/show.php?id=4089 |archive-date=8 September 2015 |df=dmy }} In 1993, he was awarded the Nobel Peace Prize.{{cite web|url=https://www.nobelprize.org/nobel_prizes/peace/laureates/1993/index.html|title=The Nobel Peace Prize 1993|publisher=Nobel Foundation|access-date=12 May 2014|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20141016094235/http://www.nobelprize.org/nobel_prizes/peace/laureates/1993/index.html|archive-date=16 October 2014}}

align="center" rowspan="3"|1991

|align="center"|100px

|style="background-color:#CEE8F0;"|Rajiv Gandhi{{sup|{{Hash}}}}

|Uttar Pradesh

|1944–1991

|Rajiv Gandhi was a pilot turned politician, who served as the sixth Prime Minister of India serving from 1984 to 1989.

align="center"|100px

|style="background-color:#CEE8F0;"|Vallabhbhai Patel{{sup|{{Hash}}}}

|Gujarat

|1875–1950

|Patel was an independence activist, who served as the first Deputy Prime Minister of India (1947–50) and home minister.{{cite news|title=PM Modi pays tributes to Sardar Patel on his death anniversary|url=http://www.ibnlive.com/news/politics/pm-modi-pays-tributes-to-sardar-patel-on-his-death-anniversary-731284.html|publisher=IBN Live|date=15 December 2014|access-date=13 September 2015|location=New Delhi|url-status=live|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20151226114334/http://www.ibnlive.com/news/politics/pm-modi-pays-tributes-to-sardar-patel-on-his-death-anniversary-731284.html|archive-date=26 December 2015|df=dmy-all}}{{cite encyclopedia|url=https://www.britannica.com/biography/Vallabhbhai-Jhaverbhai-Patel|title=Profile: Vallabhbhai Jhaverbhai Patel|encyclopedia=Encyclopædia Britannica|access-date=11 October 2015|url-status=live|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20151102014630/https://www.britannica.com/biography/Vallabhbhai-Jhaverbhai-Patel|archive-date=2 November 2015|df=dmy-all}} Patel was known as the "Iron Man of India" and by the title of "Sardar" ("Leader") Patel and was instrumental in the accession of the princely states into the Indian union.{{cite news|url=https://frontline.thehindu.com/cover-story/patels-communalisma-documented-record/article23559347.ece|title=Patel's communalism—a documented record|work=Frontline|date=13 December 2013|access-date=6 November 2015|url-status=live|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20211105021346/https://frontline.thehindu.com/cover-story/patels-communalisma-documented-record/article23559347.ece|archive-date=5 November 2021|df=dmy-all}}{{cite web|url=http://pib.nic.in/feature/feyr98/fe1098/f1510981.html|title=Sardar Patel: Builder of a Steel Strong India|publisher=Press Information Bureau|access-date=6 November 2015|url-status=live|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20151105020725/http://pib.nic.in/feature/feyr98/fe1098/f1510981.html|archive-date=5 November 2015|df=dmy-all}}{{cite news|url=http://www.thehindu.com/todays-paper/tp-opinion/who-betrayed-sardar-patel/article5366083.ece|title=Who betrayed Sardar Patel?|newspaper=The Hindu|date=19 November 2013|access-date=6 November 2015|url-status=live|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160808235331/http://www.thehindu.com/todays-paper/tp-opinion/who-betrayed-sardar-patel/article5366083.ece|archive-date=8 August 2016|df=dmy-all}}

align="center"|100px

|Morarji Desai

|Gujarat

|1896–1995

|Desai was an independence activist and politician, who served as the fourth Prime Minister of India from 1977 to 1979 and was the first to be not from the Indian National Congress. He was also awarded the Nishan-e-Pakistan, the highest civilian award given by the Government of Pakistan.{{cite news|url=http://www.rediff.com/news/2001/jul/11spec.htm|title=When India and Pakistan almost made peace|date=11 July 2001|access-date=13 September 2015|author=Bhatia, Shyam|work=Rediff.com|url-status=live|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150710140448/http://www.rediff.com/news/2001/jul/11spec.htm|archive-date=10 July 2015|df=dmy-all}} Desai had earlier abolished the awards while he was in the office of Prime Minister for it being "worthless and politicised".{{cite news|url=http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/home/sunday-toi/special-report/The-great-Bharat-Ratna-race/articleshow/2714556.cms|archive-url=https://archive.today/20140517172013/http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/home/sunday-toi/special-report/The-great-Bharat-Ratna-race/articleshow/2714556.cms|url-status=dead|archive-date=17 May 2014|title=The great Bharat Ratna race|newspaper=The Times of India|date=20 January 2008|access-date=17 May 2014|author=Mukul, Akshaya}}

align="center" rowspan="3"|1992

|align="center"|100px

|style="background-color:#CEE8F0;"|Abul Kalam Azad{{efn|name=Azad|Earlier, Abul Kalam Azad had refused the Bharat Ratna while he was the Education Minister of India (1947–58) citing that the selection committee members should not themselves be the recipients.{{cite web|title=India's top award misses congeniality|url=http://www.atimes.com/atimes/South_Asia/JA24Df01.html|newspaper=Asia Times Online|author=Ramachandran, Sudha|location=Bangalore|date=24 January 2008|access-date=14 May 2014|url-status=dead|archive-url=https://archive.today/20141016085705/http://www.atimes.com/atimes/South_Asia/JA24Df01.html|archive-date=16 October 2014}}{{cite news|url=http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/home/specials/Those-who-said-no-to-top-awards/articleshow/2714615.cms|title=Those who said no to top awards|newspaper=The Times of India|date=20 January 2008|access-date=14 May 2014|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20131124063906/http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/home/specials/Those-who-said-no-to-top-awards/articleshow/2714615.cms|archive-date=24 November 2013|url-status=dead|df=dmy-all}}{{cite web|url=http://hrm.mhrd.gov.in/ministers|title=List of former Ministers in charge of Education/HRD|publisher=Ministry of Human Resource Development|access-date=12 May 2014|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20141018042458/http://hrm.mhrd.gov.in/ministers|archive-date=18 October 2014}}}}{{sup|{{Hash}}}}

|West Bengal

|1888–1958

|Azad was an independence activist and politician, who served as the first education minister of India.{{cite news|url=http://www.tribuneindia.com/2010/20101107/spectrum/main4.htm|title=Visionary educationist|newspaper=The Tribune|date=7 November 2010|access-date=11 October 2015|author=Sharma, Arun Kumar|url-status=live|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160304082928/http://www.tribuneindia.com/2010/20101107/spectrum/main4.htm|archive-date=4 March 2016|df=dmy-all}} His birthday on 11 November is observed annually as the National Education Day in India.{{cite news|url=http://www.thehindu.com/news/cities/Coimbatore/national-education-day-celebrated/article2627310.ece|title=National Education Day celebrated|newspaper=The Hindu|date=14 November 2011|access-date=11 October 2015|location=Krishnagiri|url-status=live|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140325010312/http://www.thehindu.com/news/cities/Coimbatore/national-education-day-celebrated/article2627310.ece|archive-date=25 March 2014|df=dmy-all}}

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|J. R. D. Tata

|Maharashtra

|1904–1993

|Tata was an industrialist, philanthropist, and aviation pioneer, who served as the chairman of the business conglomerate Tata Group. He is the founder of various educational and research institutes and businesses.{{cite book|last1=Shah|first1=Shashank|last2=Ramamoorthy|first2=V.E.|title=Soulful Corporations: A Values-Based Perspective on Corporate Social Responsibility|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=1_u7BAAAQBAJ&pg=PA149|publisher=Springer Science & Business Media|year=2013|isbn=978-81-322-1275-1|page=149|url-status=live|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180228183849/https://books.google.com/books?id=1_u7BAAAQBAJ&pg=PA149|archive-date=28 February 2018|df=dmy-all}}{{cite encyclopedia|url=https://www.britannica.com/biography/J-R-D-Tata|title=Profile: J.R.D. Tata|encyclopedia=Encyclopædia Britannica|access-date=13 September 2015|url-status=live|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150924150641/https://www.britannica.com/biography/J-R-D-Tata|archive-date=24 September 2015|df=dmy-all}}

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|Satyajit Ray

|West Bengal

|1922–1992

|Ray was a film director. He directed his first film Pather Panchali in 1955 and is credited with bringing world recognition to Indian cinema.{{sfn|Gulzar|Nihalani|Chatterjee|2003|p=612}}{{cite web|title=Sight and Sound Poll 1992: Critics|publisher=California Institute of Technology|url=http://alumnus.caltech.edu/~ejohnson/sight/1992_1.html|access-date=3 February 2013|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20131016212355/http://alumnus.caltech.edu/~ejohnson/sight/1992_1.html|archive-date=16 October 2013}}{{cite web|title=A Slanted Canon|author=Kevin Lee|publisher=Asian American Film Commentary|date=5 September 2002|url=http://www.asianamericanfilm.com/archives/000026.html|access-date=3 February 2013|url-status=dead|archive-url=https://archive.today/20120525084006/http://www.asianamericanfilm.com/archives/000026.html|archive-date=25 May 2012|df=dmy-all}} In 1984, Ray was awarded the Dadasaheb Phalke Award, India's highest award in cinema and in 1991, he received Academy Honorary Award.{{cite web|title=Dadasaheb Phalke Awards|url=http://dff.nic.in/dadasahebphalke.asp|publisher=Directorate of Film Festivals|access-date=6 May 2012|url-status=live|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160526044918/http://www.dff.nic.in/dadasahebphalke.asp|archive-date=26 May 2016|df=dmy-all}}{{cite news |title=Satyajit Ray: The Lesser-known Facts About the First Indian to Win Honorary Oscar |url=https://www.news18.com/news/india/satyajit-ray-the-lesser-known-facts-about-the-first-indian-to-win-honorary-oscar-2113197.html |access-date=7 February 2022 |work=News18 |date=23 May 2019}}

align="center" rowspan="3"|1997

|align="center"|100px

|Gulzarilal Nanda

|Punjab

|1898–1998

|Nanda was an independence activist and politician, who served as the interim Prime Minister of India in 1964 and 1966 and as the deputy chairman of the Planning Commission.{{cite web|url=http://www.rediff.com/news/1998/jan/15nan.htm|title=Former PM Gulzarilal Nanda dead|work=Rediff.com|access-date=14 September 2015|date=15 January 1998|url-status=live|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160304052853/http://www.rediff.com/news/1998/jan/15nan.htm|archive-date=4 March 2016|df=dmy-all}}

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|style="background-color:#CEE8F0;"|Aruna Asaf Ali{{sup|{{Hash}}}}

|West Bengal

|1909–1996

|Ali was an independence activist, known for hoisting the tricolor flag of India in Bombay during the Quit India Movement in 1942. Post Independence, she was elected as Delhi's first mayor in 1958.{{cite news|url=https://www.independent.co.uk/news/people/obituary-aruna-asaf-ali-1331351.html|title=Obituary: Aruna Asaf Ali|newspaper=The Independent|author=Singh, Kuldeep|date=31 July 1996|access-date=14 September 2015|url-status=live|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150925133653/http://www.independent.co.uk/news/people/obituary-aruna-asaf-ali-1331351.html|archive-date=25 September 2015|df=dmy-all}}

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|A. P. J. Abdul Kalam

|Tamil Nadu

|1931–2015

|Kalam was an aerospace and defence scientist, who later served as the eleventh President of India from 2002 until 2007. He was involved in the development of India's first satellite launch vehicle SLV III and the Integrated Guided Missile Development Program, while working for various space and defence research agencies and has served as the scientific advisor to the defence minister, Secretary for defence research and director of Defence Research and Development Organisation.{{cite press release|url=http://pib.nic.in/profile/apjak.html|title=Bio-data: Avul Pakir Jainulabden Abdul Kalam|publisher=Press Information Bureau (PIB)|date=26 July 2002|access-date=12 May 2014|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140513081337/http://pib.nic.in/profile/apjak.html|archive-date=13 May 2014}}

align="center" rowspan="2"|1998

|align="center"|100px

|M. S. Subbulakshmi

|Tamil Nadu

|1916–2004

|Subbulakshmi was a Carnatic classical vocalist, known for her songs, religious chantings and compositions.{{cite web|url=http://www.rediff.com/getahead/slide-show/slide-show-1-specials-ms-subbulakshmi-commemorated-with-a-doodle/20130916.htm|title=M. S. Subbulakshmi commemorated with a doodle|work=Rediff.com|date=16 September 2013|access-date=30 October 2015|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20131223175805/http://www.rediff.com/getahead/slide-show/slide-show-1-specials-ms-subbulakshmi-commemorated-with-a-doodle/20130916.htm|archive-date=23 December 2013}} She was the first Indian musician to receive the Ramon Magsaysay award for her public service.{{cite web|url=http://www.rediff.com/news/2004/dec/11ms2.htm|title=M S Subbulakshmi: 'Nightingale' of Carnatic music|work=Rediff.com|date=12 December 2004|access-date=23 September 2015|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150708075137/http://www.rediff.com/news/2004/dec/11ms2.htm|archive-date=8 July 2015}}

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|C. Subramaniam

|Tamil Nadu

|1910–2000

|Subramaniam was an independence activist and politician, who served as the minister of agriculture from 1964 to 1966 and later as minister of finance and defence. He is known for his contribution towards the Green Revolution in India.{{cite news|title=C Subramaniam awarded Bharat Ratna|url=http://www.rediff.com/news/1998/feb/18cs.htm|work=Rediff.com|date=18 February 1998|access-date=12 May 2014|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140203092215/http://www.rediff.com/news/1998/feb/18cs.htm|archive-date=3 February 2014}}

align="center" rowspan="4"|1999

|align="center" |100px

|style="background-color:#CEE8F0;"|Jayaprakash Narayan{{sup|{{Hash}}}}

|Bihar

|1902–1979

|Narayan was an independence activist and social reformer. He was commonly referred as "Loknayak" ("People's Leader") and is known for the Total Revolution Movement initiated during the mid-1970s against the then government of India.{{cite magazine|url=http://indiatoday.intoday.in/story/insensitive-blunder-pm-morarji-desai-announces-jayaprakash-narayans-death-in-lok-sabha/1/427210.html|title=Jayapraksh Narayan: A leader betrayed|date=6 March 2014|access-date=17 September 2015|magazine=India Today|author1=Merchant, Minhaz|author2=Bobb, Dilip|author3=Louis, Arul B.|author4=Sethi, Sunil|author5=Chawla, Prabhu|author6=Ahmed, Farzand|url-status=live|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150706002538/http://indiatoday.intoday.in/story/insensitive-blunder-pm-morarji-desai-announces-jayaprakash-narayans-death-in-lok-sabha/1/427210.html|archive-date=6 July 2015|df=dmy-all}}

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|Amartya Sen

|West Bengal

|1933–

|Sen is an economist and the winner of the Nobel memorial prize in economic sciences in 1998.{{cite web|url=http://nobelprize.org/nobel_prizes/economics/laureates/1998/|title=The Sveriges Riksbank Prize in Economic Sciences in Memory of Alfred Nobel 1998|publisher=Nobel Foundation|access-date=9 May 2014|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20141011195928/http://www.nobelprize.org/nobel_prizes/economic-sciences/laureates/1998/|archive-date=11 October 2014}}{{cite web|url=http://scholar.harvard.edu/sen/biocv|title=Biographical note: Amartya Sen: Thomas W. Lamont University Professor, and Professor of Economics and Philosophy|publisher=Harvard University|access-date=17 September 2015|url-status=live|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150909103213/http://scholar.harvard.edu/sen/biocv|archive-date=9 September 2015|df=dmy-all}}

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|style="background-color:#CEE8F0;"|Gopinath Bordoloi{{sup|{{Hash}}}}(Gopinath Bardoloi)

|Assam

|1890–1950

|Bordoloi was an independence activist and politician, who served as the first chief minister of Assam (1946–50).{{cite web|title=Assam Legislative Assembly—Chief Ministers since 1937|publisher=Assam Legislative Assembly|url=http://assamassembly.nic.in/cm-list.html|access-date=10 May 2014|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140116091830/http://assamassembly.nic.in/cm-list.html|archive-date=16 January 2014}} His was instrumental in uniting Assam with India when parts of it wanted to accede to Pakistan.{{cite news|url=http://www.ndtv.com/elections-news/in-assam-narendra-modi-describes-how-congress-betrayed-it-550171|title=In Assam, Narendra Modi describes how Congress 'betrayed' it|author=Phukan, Sandeep|date=8 February 2014|access-date=17 September 2015|location=Guwahati|publisher=NDTV|url-status=live|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150927173153/http://www.ndtv.com/elections-news/in-assam-narendra-modi-describes-how-congress-betrayed-it-550171|archive-date=27 September 2015|df=dmy-all}}

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|Ravi Shankar

|Uttar Pradesh

|1920–2012

|Ravi Shankar was a musician and sitar player. He has won four Grammy Awards and is often considered "the world's best-known exponent of Hindustani classical music".{{cite encyclopedia|url=https://www.britannica.com/biography/Ravi-Shankar|title=Profile: Ravi Shankar|encyclopedia=Encyclopædia Britannica|access-date=17 September 2015|url-status=live|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150923132132/https://www.britannica.com/biography/Ravi-Shankar|archive-date=23 September 2015|df=dmy-all}}{{cite book |last1=Lavezzoli |first1=Peter |title=The Dawn of Indian Music in the West |date=2006 |publisher=A&C Black |isbn=978-0-8264-1815-9 |page=48 |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=OSZKCXtx-wEC&pg=PA48}}

align="center" rowspan="2"|2001

|align="center"|100px

|Lata Mangeshkar

|Maharashtra

|1929–2022

|Mangeshkar was a playback singer, known as the "nightingale of India".{{cite news|title=India's Nightingale Lata Mangeshkar turns 82 today|url=http://www.firstpost.com/bollywood/lata-mangeshkar-who-touched-many-hearts-is-82-94473.html|access-date=9 June 2014|work=Firstpost|date=28 September 2011|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120130132359/http://www.firstpost.com/bollywood/lata-mangeshkar-who-touched-many-hearts-is-82-94473.html|archive-date=30 January 2012}} She started her career in the 1940s and has sung songs in over 36 languages.{{sfn|Gulzar|Nihalani|Chatterjee|2003|pp=486, 487}} In 1989, Mangeshkar was awarded the Dadasaheb Phalke Award, India's highest award in cinema.

align="center"|100px

|Bismillah Khan

|Bihar

|1916–2006

|Khan was a Hindustani classical shehnai player, who played the instrument for more than eight decades and is credited to have brought the instrument to the centre stage of Indian music.{{cite news|url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/south_asia/5270968.stm|title=Indian music's soulful maestro|date=21 August 2006|access-date=13 September 2015|work=BBC News|url-status=live|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20151117092851/http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/south_asia/5270968.stm|archive-date=17 November 2015|df=dmy-all}}

align="center"|2009

|align="center" |100px

|Bhimsen Joshi

|Karnataka

|1922–2011

|Joshi was a Hindustani classical vocalist, who was a disciple of Kirana gharana and is widely known for the Khyal genre of singing.{{cite news|url=http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/city/hubli/Torch-bearers-of-kirana-gharana-and-their-followers/articleshow/7356191.cms|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110203134747/http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/city/hubli/Torch-bearers-of-kirana-gharana-and-their-followers/articleshow/7356191.cms|url-status=dead|archive-date=3 February 2011|title=Torch-bearers of kirana gharana, and their followers|newspaper=The Times of India|location=Hubli|date=26 January 2011|access-date=9 May 2014|last=Jamkhandi|first=Gururaj|df=dmy-all}}{{cite news |url=http://www.deccanherald.com/content/131822/haunting-melodic-grace-pandit-bhimsen.html |work=Deccan Herald |title=Haunting melodic grace of Pandit Bhimsen Joshiji |date=24 January 2011}}

align="center" rowspan="2"|2014

|align="center"|100px

|C. N. R. Rao

|Karnataka

|1934–

|Rao is a chemist and a scientist specializing in solid state chemistry. He has honorary doctorates from 86 universities and has authored around 1,800 research publications and 56 books.{{cite web|url=https://jncasr.irins.org/profile/2645#other_information_panel|title=CNR Rao, profile|publisher=Indian Research Information Network System|access-date=1 December 2023}}{{cite journal|last1=Sathyamurthy|first1=N.|last2=Rao|first2=C. N. R.|date=2019|title=Face to Face with Professor C N R Rao|journal=Resonance|language=en|volume=24|issue=7|pages=775–791|doi=10.1007/s12045-019-0840-2|s2cid=201041154}}{{cite news|last=Pulakkat|first=Hari|url=https://economictimes.indiatimes.com/news/politics-and-nation/bharat-ratna-nominee-cnr-rao-won-all-possible-awards-but-the-nobel-prize/articleshow/25959582.cms|title=Bharat Ratna nominee CNR Rao won all possible awards but the Nobel prize|date=18 November 2013|work=The Economic Times|access-date=1 April 2014}}

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|Sachin Tendulkar

|Maharashtra

|1973–

|Tendulkar is a cricketer, who is regarded as one of the greatest batters of all time.{{cite news |title=Sachin Tendulkar is greatest cricketer in history – Brian Lara |work=BBC Sport |date=12 November 2013 |url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/0/cricket/24921333 |access-date=19 November 2013 |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20131116213147/http://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/0/cricket/24921333 |archive-date=16 November 2013 }}{{cite news |title=Sachin Tendulkar greatest batsman to have played cricket: Dennis Lillee |url=https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/sports/2016-asia-cup/top-stories/Sachin-Tendulkar-greatest-batsman-to-have-played-cricket-Dennis-Lillee/articleshow/14409570.cms |newspaper=The Times of India |date=26 June 2012 |access-date=5 December 2017 }} Having debuted in 1989, Tendulkar played 664 international cricket matches, scoring more than 34,000 in a career spanning over two decades and holds various cricket records.{{cite encyclopedia|url=https://www.britannica.com/biography/Sachin-Tendulkar|title=Profile: Sachin Tendulkar|encyclopedia=Encyclopædia Britannica|access-date=18 September 2015|url-status=live|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150906002528/https://www.britannica.com/biography/Sachin-Tendulkar|archive-date=6 September 2015|df=dmy-all}}{{cite news|url=http://stats.espncricinfo.com/ci/content/records/284269.html|title=Records/Combined Test, ODI and T20I records/Batting records; Most runs in career|work=ESPNcricinfo|date=13 September 2015|access-date=18 September 2015|url-status=live|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20131121051835/http://stats.espncricinfo.com/ci/content/records/284269.html|archive-date=21 November 2013|df=dmy-all}}

align="center" rowspan="2"|2015

|align="center"|100px

|Atal Bihari Vajpayee

|Madhya Pradesh

|1924–2018

|Vajpayee was a politician, who served as the Prime Minister of India three times in 1996, 1998 and from 1999 to 2004. He was a parliamentarian for over four decades and was elected nine times to the Lok Sabha, twice to the Rajya Sabha, also serving as the minister of external affairs during 1977–79.{{cite press release|url=http://pib.nic.in/profile/bajpayee.html|title=Profile of Shri Atal Behari Bajpayee|publisher=Press Information Bureau (PIB)|access-date=18 September 2015|url-status=live|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150810162641/http://pib.nic.in/profile/bajpayee.html|archive-date=10 August 2015|df=dmy-all}}{{cite web|url=http://pmindia.gov.in/en/former_pm/shri-atal-bihari-vajpayee/|title=Profile: Shri Atal Bihari Vajpayee: March 19, 1998 – May 22, 2004 [Bhartiya Janta Party]|publisher=Prime Minister's Office|access-date=6 November 2015|url-status=live|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20151117173704/http://pmindia.gov.in/en/former_pm/shri-atal-bihari-vajpayee/|archive-date=17 November 2015|df=dmy-all}}

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|style="background-color:#CEE8F0;"|Madan Mohan Malaviya{{sup|{{Hash}}}}

|Uttar Pradesh

|1861–1946

|Malaviya was a scholar and educational reformer, who founded the Akhil Bharatiya Hindu Mahasabha (1906) and Banaras Hindu University, while serving as the university's vice-chancellor from 1919 until 1938.{{cite web|url=http://www.bhu.ac.in/history1.htm|title=History of BHU: The Capital of all Knowledge|publisher=Banaras Hindu University|date=23 August 2011|access-date=18 September 2015|url-status=dead|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150923184751/http://www.bhu.ac.in/history1.htm|archive-date=23 September 2015|df=dmy-all}} He was the President of Indian National Congress for four terms and was the chairman of Hindustan Times from 1924 to 1946.{{cite encyclopedia|url=https://www.britannica.com/biography/Madan-Mohan-Malaviya|title=Profile: Madan Mohan Malaviya|encyclopedia=Encyclopædia Britannica|access-date=18 September 2015|url-status=live|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150906032137/https://www.britannica.com/biography/Madan-Mohan-Malaviya|archive-date=6 September 2015|df=dmy-all}}{{cite web|url=http://pib.nic.in/newsite/PrintRelease.aspx?relid=79227|title=Speech of Prime Minister at the Commemoration of 150th Birth Anniversary of Mahamana Madan Mohan Malaviya inaugural function|publisher=Press Information Bureau|date=27 December 2011|access-date=6 November 2015|url-status=live|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160806195944/http://pib.nic.in/newsite/PrintRelease.aspx?relid=79227|archive-date=6 August 2016|df=dmy-all}}

align="center" rowspan="3"| 2019

|align="center" |100px

|Pranab Mukherjee

|West Bengal

|1935–2020

|Mukherjee was a politician who served as the 13th President of India from 2012 until 2017. In a career spanning five decades, Mukherjee had been a leader of the Indian National Congress and had occupied several ministerial portfolios in the Government of India. Prior to his election as President, he was finance minister from 2009 to 2012.{{cite news|agency=PTI|date=9 August 2019|title=Bharat Ratna for Pranab Mukherjee fitting recognition for his service to nation: PM Modi|language=en-IN|work=The Hindu|url=https://www.thehindu.com/news/national/bharat-ratna-for-pranab-mukherjee-fitting-recognition-for-his-service-to-nation-pm-modi/article28922094.ece|url-status=live|access-date=4 December 2020|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20201108002455/https://www.thehindu.com/news/national/bharat-ratna-for-pranab-mukherjee-fitting-recognition-for-his-service-to-nation-pm-modi/article28922094.ece|archive-date=8 November 2020|issn=0971-751X}}

align="center" |100px

|style="background-color:#CEE8F0;"|Bhupen Hazarika{{sup|{{Hash}}}}

|Assam

|1926–2011

|Hazarika was a playback singer, lyricist, musician, poet and film-maker, widely known as Sudhakantha.{{cite news |title=Who is Bharat Ratna Bhupen Hazarika? Key things to know about him |url=https://www.indiatoday.in/fyi/story/who-is-bharat-ratna-bhupen-hazarika-1439591-2019-01-25 |work=India Today |language=en}} His songs, written and sung mainly in the Assamese language by himself, are themed around universal justice and peace and have been translated and sung in many languages.{{cite news |title=Bhupen Hazarika: The Bard of Brahmaputra |url=https://www.hindustantimes.com/inspiring-lives/bhupen-hazarika-the-bard-of-brahmaputra/story-8IkggPd3dEu49dZN9D1sHJ.html |work=Hindustan Times |date=17 September 2019 |language=en}}

align="center" |100px

|style="background-color:#CEE8F0;"|Nanaji Deshmukh{{sup|{{Hash}}}}

|Maharashtra

|1916–2010

|Deshmukh was a social activist and politician, who worked in the fields of education, health, and rural self-reliance. He was a leader of the Bharatiya Jana Sangh and also served as a member of the Rajya Sabha.{{cite news| url=https://www.timesnownews.com/india/article/bharat-ratna-pranab-mukherjee-bhupen-hazarika-nanaji-deshmukh-ram-nath-kovind-republic-day-2019/354087|title=Bharat Ratna for Pranab Mukherjee, Nanaji Deshmukh and Bhupen Hazarika|publisher=Times Now|date=25 January 2019|access-date=25 January 2019|archive-date=31 August 2020|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200831133139/https://www.timesnownews.com/india/article/bharat-ratna-pranab-mukherjee-bhupen-hazarika-nanaji-deshmukh-ram-nath-kovind-republic-day/354087|url-status=dead }}{{cite news|title=Who was Nanaji Deshmukh?|url=https://indianexpress.com/article/who-is/who-is-nanaji-deshmukh-4884617/|newspaper=The Indian Express|access-date=11 October 2017}}

align="center" rowspan=5| 2024

|align="center"|100px

|style="background-color:#CEE8F0;"|Karpoori Thakur{{sup|{{Hash}}}}

|Bihar

|1924–1988

|Thakur was a politician, who served two terms as the 11th Chief Minister of Bihar, from 1970 to 1971, and from 1977 to 1979. In 1978, he introduced the reservation policy in state government jobs.{{cite news|url=https://indianexpress.com/article/india/former-bihar-cm-socialist-icon-karpoori-thakur-bharat-ratna-9124253/|title=Two-time Bihar CM Karpoori Thakur to be conferred Bharat Ratna posthumously |newspaper=The Indian Express |date=23 January 2024 |access-date=23 January 2024 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240123175919/https://indianexpress.com/article/india/former-bihar-cm-socialist-icon-karpoori-thakur-bharat-ratna-9124253/ |archive-date=23 January 2024 |url-status=live |language=en}}{{cite news|url=https://www.thehindu.com/news/national/socialist-icon-karpoori-thakur-awarded-bharat-ratna-a-day-before-centenary/article67769726.ece|title=Socialist icon Karpoori Thakur awarded Bharat Ratna, a day before centenary |newspaper=The Hindu|date=23 January 2024 |access-date=23 January 2024 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240123180920/https://www.thehindu.com/news/national/socialist-icon-karpoori-thakur-awarded-bharat-ratna-a-day-before-centenary/article67769726.ece |archive-date=23 January 2024 |url-status=live |language=en}}

align="center"|100px

|L. K. Advani

|Delhi

|1927–

|Advani is a politician who served as the 7th Deputy Prime Minister of India from 2002 to 2004.{{cite news|title=Advani appointed deputy prime minister|url=https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/india/Advani-appointed-deputy-prime-minister/articleshow/14487268.cms|date=29 June 2002|newspaper=The Times of India|access-date=10 May 2020}} He is one of the co-founders of Bharatiya Janata Party and is credited with scripting the rise of the BJP as a major political force through the Ram Janmabhoomi Movement.{{cite news |title=LK Advani: The man who scripted the rise of India's BJP |url=https://www.bbc.com/news/world-asia-india-22837442 |agency=BBC |date=30 September 2020}} He is popularly known as "Loh Purush" (Iron Man).{{cite news |title=LK Advani: Iron Man who found a gentler side |url=https://www.ndtv.com/india-news/lk-advani-iron-man-who-found-a-gentler-side-407131 |agency=NDTV |date=18 December 2009}}

align="center"|100px

|style="background-color:#CEE8F0;"|P. V. Narasimha Rao{{sup|{{Hash}}}}

|Telangana

|1921–2004

|Narasimha Rao, was an Indian lawyer and politician who served as the 9th prime minister from 1991 to 1996. He was the first Prime Minister from South India.{{cite news |date=9 February 2024 |title=Bharat Ratna for former PMs PV Narasimha Rao, Chaudhary Charan Singh and scientist MS Swaminathan: PM Modi |url=https://www.hindustantimes.com/india-news/former-pms-narasimha-rao-chaudhary-charan-singh-and-ms-swaminathan-to-get-bharat-ratna-pm-modi-101707462720479.html |access-date=9 February 2024 |newspaper=Hindustan Times}} He is known for introducing various liberal reforms to India's economy.{{cite book|last=Dean |first=Adam |title=India's Middle Path: Preventive Arrests and General Strikes |date=2022 |url=https://www.cambridge.org/core/books/opening-up-by-cracking-down/indias-middle-path-preventive-arrests-and-general-strikes/4CBA2877327208602BE6573BEA63D1A3|pages=86–112 |series=Political Economy of Institutions and Decisions |publisher=Cambridge University Press |doi=10.1017/9781108777964.006 |isbn=978-1-108-47851-9 |access-date=29 October 2022 |archive-date=9 February 2024 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240209130717/https://www.cambridge.org/core/books/abs/opening-up-by-cracking-down/indias-middle-path-preventive-arrests-and-general-strikes/4CBA2877327208602BE6573BEA63D1A3 |url-status=live }}

align="center"|100px

|style="background-color:#CEE8F0;"|Charan Singh{{sup|{{Hash}}}}

|Uttar Pradesh

|1902–1987

|Charan Singh was an Indian politician and an independence activist who served as the 5th prime minister from 1979 to 1980.{{cite news |date=9 February 2024 |title=Bharat Ratna for P.V. Narasimha Rao, M.S. Swaminathan, Charan Singh |url=https://www.thehindu.com/news/national/bharat-ratna-for-pv-narasimha-rao-ms-swaminathan/article67828381.ece |access-date=9 February 2024 |newspaper=The Hindu |issn=0971-751X}} He is known as the "Champion of India's peasants".{{cite journal|last=Byres|first=Terence J.|date=1 January 1988|title=Charan Singh, 1902–87: An assessment|journal=The Journal of Peasant Studies|volume=15|issue=2|pages=139–189|doi=10.1080/03066158808438356}} He is credited for bringing radical land reform measures and bringing uniformity in the farm sector. These reforms were implemented through the Debt Redemption Bill, the Land Holding Act, and the Zamindari Abolition Act.{{cite news |date=9 February 2024 |title=Why BJP has given Bharat Ratna to Chaudhary Charan Singh |url=https://www.indiatoday.in/india/story/bharat-ratna-chaudhary-charan-singh-ms-swaminathan-bjp-farmers-protests-jat-community-2499806-2024-02-09|access-date=9 February 2024 |newspaper=India Today}} He was the founder of the political party Lokdal in 1980.{{cite journal|last=Brass|first=Paul R.|date=1993|title=Chaudhuri Charan Singh: An Indian Political Life|jstor=4400204|journal=Economic and Political Weekly|volume=28|issue=39|pages=2087–2090}}

align="center"|100px

|style="background-color:#CEE8F0;"|M. S. Swaminathan{{sup|{{Hash}}}}

|Tamil Nadu

|1925–2023

|Swaminathan was an Indian agronomist, geneticist and administrator, who was a global leader of the green revolution.{{cite journal |last1=Cabral |first1=Lídia |last2=Pandey |first2=Poonam |last3=Xu |first3=Xiuli |title=Epic narratives of the Green Revolution in Brazil, China, and India |journal=Agriculture and Human Values |date=3 July 2021 |volume=39 |pages=249–267 |doi=10.1007/s10460-021-10241-x |s2cid=237804269|doi-access=free |url=https://eprints.iisc.ac.in/73826/1/agr_hum_val_39-1_249-267_2022.pdf }} He was one of the major architects of green revolution in India known for his leadership and role in introducing and further developing high-yielding varieties of wheat and rice.{{Cite news |last=Spaeth |first=Anthony |date=23-30 August 1999 |title=Asians of the Century: A Tale of Titans. M.S. Swaminathan. |volume=154 |work= Time 100 |issue=7/8 |url=http://www.time.com/time/asia/asia/magazine/1999/990823/index.html |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20010125001700/http://www.time.com/time/asia/asia/magazine/1999/990823/index.html |archive-date=25 January 2001}}{{cite news |date=9 February 2024 |title=PM's Big Announcement: Bharat Ratna For Two Former PMs Charan Singh, PV Narasimha Rao |url=https://www.news18.com/india/bharat-ratna-former-pm-pv-narasimha-chaudhary-charan-singh-rao-agri-scientist-ms-swaminathan-green-revolution-pm-modi-8772407.html |access-date=9 February 2024 |work=News18 }}

See also

{{Portal|India}}

Explanatory notes

{{notelist}}

References

{{Reflist}}

Bibliography

  • {{cite book |last=Basu |first=Kanailal |title=Netaji: Rediscovered |year=2010 |publisher=AuthorHouse |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=b9bQyfKq_EMC |isbn=978-1-4490-5569-1 }}
  • {{cite book |last=Bhattacherje |first=S. B. |title=Encyclopaedia of Indian Events & Dates |year=2009 |publisher=Sterling Publishers Pvt. Ltd |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=oGVSvXuCsyUC&pg=PAA248 |isbn=978-81-207-4074-7 }}
  • {{cite book |last=Daniel |first=P. |title=The Indian Review |year=1958 |volume=58 |publisher=G. A. Natesan & Company |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=enjjAAAAMAAJ&q=Brabourne+Stadium }}
  • {{cite book |last=Edgar |first=Thorpe |title=The Pearson General Knowledge Manual 2011 |year=2011 |publisher=Pearson Education India |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=mHaYRoLuKBgC |isbn=978-81-317-5640-9 }}
  • {{cite book |last=Guha |first=Ramachandra |author-link=Ramachandra Guha |title=An Anthropologist Among the Marxists and Other Essays |year=2001 |publisher=Orient Blackswan |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=hslnO7LGdRMC&pg=PA169 |isbn=978-81-7824-001-5 }}
  • {{cite book |editor1-last=Gulzar |editor1-link=Gulzar |editor2-last=Nihalani |editor2-first=Govind |editor2-link=Govind Nihalani |editor3-last=Chatterjee |editor3-first=Saibal |title=Encyclopaedia of Hindi Cinema |year=2003 |publisher=Popular Prakashan |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=8y8vN9A14nkC |isbn=978-81-7991-066-5 }}
  • {{cite book |last1=Hoiberg |first1=Dale |author-link1=Dale Hoiberg |last2=Ramchandani |first2=Indu |title=Students' Britannica India |volume=1–5 |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=ISFBJarYX7YC&pg=PA96 |publisher=Popular Prakashan |year=2000 |isbn=978-81-7156-112-4 }}{{tertiary source inline|date=October 2021}}
  • {{cite book |last=Osnes |first=Beth |title=Theatre for Women's Participation in Sustainable Development |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=oU03AgAAQBAJ&pg=PA105 |publisher=Routledge |year=2013 |isbn=978-1-136-72846-4 }}
  • {{cite book |last=Sainty |first=Guy Stair |author-link=Guy Stair Sainty |title=World Orders of Knighthood and Merit |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=WiYYAQAAMAAJ&q=bharat+ratna |publisher=University of Michigan Press |year=2011 |isbn=978-0-9711966-7-4 }}
  • {{cite book |last1=Taneja |first1=V. R. |last2=Taneja |first2=S. |title=Educational Thinkers |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=O6Fp2zaQVVMC&pg=PA167 |publisher=Atlantic Publishers & Dist |year=2000 |isbn=978-81-7156-112-4 |ref={{harvid |Taneja |2000}}}}
  • {{cite book |last=Weber |first=Thomas |author-link=Thomas E. Weber |title=Gandhi as Disciple and Mentor |url=https://archive.org/details/gandhiasdisciple0000webe |url-access=registration |page=[https://archive.org/details/gandhiasdisciple0000webe/page/138 138] |publisher=Cambridge University Press |year=2004 |isbn=978-1-139-45657-9 }}

Further reading

  • {{cite book |last=Chandra|first=Shailesh|title=Bharat Ratna: The Jewel of India|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=RmJ1tgAACAAJ |publisher=Alfa Publications|year=2009|isbn=978-81-907385-0-7|page=320}}
  • {{cite book |last=Murthi|first=R. K.|title=Encyclopedia of Bharat Ratnas|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=HkF3avvFvb4C |publisher=Pitambar Publishing|year=2005|isbn=978-81-209-1307-3}}
  • Sabharwal, D.P. Wing Commander (2008). Bharat Ratnas. Rupa Publications. {{ISBN|978-81-291-4499-7}}

External links

  • {{commons-inline}}
  • [https://gkqna.in/bharat-ratna-winner-list-2021/ भारत रत्न पुरस्कार विजेता व वर्ष Bharat Ratna Winner List Latest 2021] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220520223800/https://gkqna.in/bharat-ratna-winner-list-2021/ |date=20 May 2022 }}

{{Bharat Ratna}}

{{Indian honours and decorations}}

{{Authority control}}

Category:1954 establishments in India

Category:Awards established in 1954

Category:Civil awards and decorations of India

Category:Lists of Indian award winners