Bharat Ratna highest Civilian award of India.
Bharat Ratna, established on January 2, 1954, is India’s highest civilian award given to individuals for “exceptional service of the highest order” in any field of human activity. It was established by President Dr Rajendra Prasad to honour the work of unparalleled nature towards the nation’s progress in different spheres of art, literature, science, social services, sports, and public life.
Historical Background and Significance
Originally, the award recognised arts, literature, science, and public services. In 2011, its area was brought to all human disciplines, such as sports and social work. The award does not have a cash award, but merely a sanad (certificate) with the signature of the President and a peepal leaf-shaped medallion. It serves as an emblem of national gratitude and respect towards those whose efforts have given India its identity and global stature.
Eligibility and Selection Process
It has no profession, race, or gender differences, and it can be awarded to Indians and foreigners alike. It is selected after the recommendations made personally by the Prime Minister to the President of India, hence it is exclusive. Three awards can be given in one year, and since 1966, it can also be given posthumously.
Major Recipients and Their Contributions
Since its initiation, over 50 stalwarts have received the Bharat Ratna. The first ones to receive it in 1954 were:
• Dr Sarvepalli Radhakrishnan – Philosopher and India’s second President who promoted education and harmony between religions.
• C. V. Raman – Nobel prize-winning physicist renowned for discovering Raman Scattering.
• C. Rajagopalachari – Statesman and India’s last Governor-General.
Some popular awardees are:
• Mahatma Gandhi (posthumous nomination, never awarded) – moral leader of Indian independence.
• Lal Bahadur Shastri – Posthumously honoured in 1966 for his simplicity and leadership values.
• Mother Teresa – Humanitarian for services to the poor (1980).
• A. P. J. Abdul Kalam – India’s “Missile Man” and motivational President (1997).
• Sachin Tendulkar – Great cricketer and youngest awardee (2014).
• Atal Bihari Vajpayee – Ex-Prime Minister for political and literary excellence.
Significance of Honouring National Service
Awards like the Bharat Ratna are a necessary part of national pride and of acknowledging unselfish service. They immortalise efforts which inspire future generations to excel in nation-building. Recognition legitimates public service, enforces civic values, and articulates the country’s moral debt.
Must It Be Posthumously?
Posthumous awards of the Bharat Ratna ensure that visionaries who passed away prior to being rewarded are remembered justly. Subhas Chandra Bose and Lal Bahadur Shastri represent ideals which transcend centuries. Critics argue that posthumous awards are not accountable and are employed for political symbolism. However, it upholds the ethos that true service to the country never dies, making posthumous awards rational.
Politics and Prestige
The award often raises political controversies with allegations of governments awarding it for political reasons. As an example, granting the Bharat Ratna to politicians like M. G. Ramachandran and Atal Bihari Vajpayee raised mixed feelings regarding timing and political agendas. Nevertheless, most of the awardees—scientists, artists, and reformers—are above party politics, thus maintaining the prestige of the award.
Acceptance Speech (Hypothetical)
“I accept this Bharat Ratna humbly and gratefully. This is not a personal award, but an award for every single citizen who toils in anonymity for India’s progress. I am dedicating this award to our youth — the architects of new India — and assure that this has provided me with the inspiration to serve with even greater devotion and commitment.”
Dr A. P. J. Abdul Kalam
Dr A. P. J. Abdul Kalam (1931–2015), affectionately known as the “People’s President”, was an aerospace engineer who revolutionised India’s defence and space programs. He led the Pokhran-II nuclear tests, was associated with ISRO and DRDO, and inspired millions with his “Developed India 2020” vision. He received the Bharat Ratna in 1997 and continues to be a source of inspiration through his humility and dedication to national development.
Dr. Verghese Kurien
Dr Verghese Kurien, the “Father of the White Revolution,” is worthy of the Bharat Ratna for transforming India into the world’s top milk producer with the Operation Flood movement. His efforts empowered rural farmers, revolutionised the cooperative model, and contained poverty to a large extent. His economic self-sufficiency vision in terms of cooperation is the very spirit of the Bharat Ratna — service of the highest order.
Dr Sarvepalli Radhakrishnan (1954)
A philosopher-president, Dr Radhakrishnan’s life was marked by academic depth, humility, and religious humanism. His calm demeanour and extensive knowledge brought together Eastern philosophy with Western philosophy. He believed that education was not scholarly but a journey to self-realisation, motivating generations of teachers.
C. V. Raman (1954)
Blessed with scientific interest and diligence, Raman bridged the gaps between discipline and imagination. His discovery of the Raman Effect was a testament to his innovative mind, and his dedication to individual research was a witness to his genuine pursuit of scientific truth and not fame.
C. Rajagopalachari (1954)
C. Rajagopalachari, or “Rajaji,” exemplified moral courage and wisdom. A close friend of Mahatma Gandhi, he was practical yet principled, uniting intellect with administrative skills. He stood for truth even when it came in opposition to popular feeling, gaining respect as a statesman of conscience.
Mother Teresa (1980)
Mother Teresa epitomised love and selfless service. She was modest, plain, and absolutely dedicated to humanitarian service, representing her personality. She radiated peace and spirituality while serving the poorest of the poor, reminding the world that action in love is the supreme faith.
Atal Bihari Vajpayee (2015)
Atal Bihari Vajpayee was a poet-statesman whose warmth, graciousness, and generosity of spirit touched hearts, cutting across political differences. His words were laced with emotion and intelligence, influenced by both patriotism and humanism. His unassuming confidence and literary learning as Prime Minister made him a uniting national figure.
Dr M. S. Swaminathan (2024)
M. S. Swaminathan, the Father of the Green Revolution, was an individual with attributes of visionary innovation, humility, and farmer-welfare-mindedness. A scientist sensitive to society, he transformed India’s agriculture through his sensitivity towards food security and sustainability. His personality was the embodiment of discipline blended with profound empathy towards rural India.
P. V. Narasimha Rao (2024)
Rao’s personality was marked by intellectual sophistication, restraint, and quiet reformism. Like the “architect of India’s economic liberalisation,” he led India away from the economic debacle of the 1990s. A multilingual intellectual, Rao was soft in demeanour yet resolute in decision, showcasing intellect combined with political pragmatism.
Lal Krishna Advani (2024)
L. K. Advani’s persona has always represented discipline, ideological conviction, and personal integrity. A founder of the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), he combined steadfast nationalism with strategic thinking. Behind his firm exterior lay a reflective individual devoted to organisational values and political honesty.
Chaudhary Charan Singh (2024)
A rural face of simplicity and integrity, Charan Singh lived and died for the rights of farmers and agrarian transformation. His simple and honest nature touched the hearts of India’s rural people strongly. A moral politician, he stood firm even during the Emergency, guided by moral courage only.
Karpoori Thakur (2024)
Karpoori Thakur, or “Jan Nayak,” was renowned for humility, justice, and ceaseless efforts on behalf of the downtrodden. A man of austere lifestyle, he was a symbol of Gandhian simplicity and selflessness, having converted Bihar into a pioneer land of social equity through his epoch-making reservation reforms. Unobtrusive determination, egalitarian feelings were exhibited in his nature.
Sachin Tendulkar (2014)
Sachin Tendulkar’s personality is a mix of discipline, humility, and determination. Even being a global icon, he remained humble and courteous. His focus under all circumstances, sportspersonship, and resilience under pressure earned him a quintessence of excellence and devotion to art, ones that extended beyond cricket.
Nanaji Deshmukh (2019)
The nature of Nanaji Deshmukh was selfless service and grassroots leadership. He was a dreamer reformer who spent his entire life on rural development and education, establishing institutions like Chitrakoot Gramodya Vishwavidyalaya. His humble living and generous sympathy for the poor reflected his spiritual and social discipline.
Essence of the Bharat Ratna Recipients
The Bharat Ratna awardees over the decades have in common traits that resonate with India’s cultural ethos:
• Intellectual genius — as seen in Sulabh Singh Radhakrishnan, C. V. Raman, and Amartya Sen.
• Humanitarian sympathy — as seen in Mother Teresa and Lal Bahadur Shastri.
• Moral uprightness and nationalism — exemplified by Atal Bihari Vajpayee, Charan Singh, and Karpoori Thakur.
• Visionary creativity — as seen in M. S. Swaminathan, A. P. J. Abdul Kalam, and Sachin Tendulkar.
