Bharat Ratna Awards 2024, Complete List

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Bharat Ratna Awards List 2024

The Bharat Ratna Awards 2024 were announced recently. The following five individuals were awarded the Bharat Ratna, India’s highest civilian award, for their exceptional service and achievements in their respective fields –

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Socialist leader and former Bihar Chief Minister Karpoori Thakur
Politician and former Deputy Prime Minister Lal Krishna Advani
Former Prime Minister PV Narasimha Rao
Former Prime Minister Chaudhary Charan Singh
Scientist MS Swaminathan

The Bharat Ratna, India’s highest civilian award, will be conferred on five individuals this year, surpassing the previous record of four recipients in 1999. Four of the awardees will receive the honor posthumously, while the only living recipient is 96-year-old Advani.

Karpoori Thakur (Posthumous) (Politician and Former Bihar Chief Minister)

Karpoori Thakur, a distinguished Indian political figure, served as the Chief Minister of Bihar, leaving an indelible mark on the state’s political landscape. Known for championing the cause of social justice, Thakur implemented measures to uplift marginalized communities. His tenure witnessed the implementation of reservations in education and jobs, reflecting his commitment to inclusive governance. Thakur’s influence extended beyond Bihar, making him a respected leader at the national level. His legacy remains alive through his significant contributions to the socio-political fabric of India.

Lal Krishna Advani (Politician and Former Deputy Prime Minister of India)

Lal Krishna Advani, a stalwart in Indian politics, played a pivotal role in shaping the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) and the broader political landscape. An advocate for Hindutva, Advani is remembered for his leadership during the Ram Janmabhoomi movement, which aimed to reclaim the disputed site in Ayodhya. His contributions as the Deputy Prime Minister and Home Minister left a lasting impact on national security and governance. Advani’s political journey spans decades, marked by his commitment to conservative values and his instrumental role in the growth of the BJP as a major political force in India.

Pamulaparthi Venkata Narasimha Rao (Posthumous) (Former Prime Minister of India)

PV Narasimha Rao, the 9th Prime Minister of India, navigated the country through a period of significant economic reforms and global changes. Rao’s leadership from 1991 to 1996 witnessed transformative policies, including liberalization and globalization, steering India towards economic liberalization. His pragmatic approach and ability to make tough decisions earned him praise, though controversial at times. Rao’s tenure marked a crucial juncture in India’s economic trajectory, leaving a lasting impact on the nation’s development.

Chaudhary Charan Singh (Posthumous) (Former Prime Minister of India)

Chaudhary Charan Singh, a prominent political figure, served as the Prime Minister of India and was a staunch advocate for the rights of farmers and rural development. Known as the ‘Champion of Farmers,’ Singh focused on agrarian issues and implemented policies to alleviate the plight of farmers. His tenure as the Prime Minister emphasized the importance of rural empowerment, making him a symbol of agrarian leadership in Indian politics. Singh’s legacy endures as a champion for the welfare of farmers and the rural populace.

Mankombu Sambasivan Swaminathan (Posthumous) (Agriculture Scientist)

MS Swaminathan, often hailed as the “Father of the Green Revolution in India,” is a renowned agricultural scientist and geneticist. His groundbreaking work in developing high-yielding varieties of wheat played a pivotal role in transforming India’s agricultural landscape. Swaminathan’s dedication to food security and sustainable agriculture earned him global recognition. As the founder of the M.S. Swaminathan Research Foundation, he continues to advocate for environmentally friendly and technologically advanced agricultural practices. Swaminathan’s contributions have left an enduring impact, shaping India’s approach to agriculture and ensuring food security for millions.

Complete List of Bharat Ratna Recipients

S.No.	Year	Recipient	Profession
1	1954	Dr. Sarvapalli Radhakrishnan	Philosopher, Statesman, Educator
2	1954	Dr. ChandrasekharaVenkata Raman	Physicist
3	1954	Chakravarti Rajagopalachari	Statesman, Writer
4	1955	Dr. Bhagwan Das	Philosopher, Educator
5	1955	Dr. MokshagundamVisvesvaraya	Engineer, Statesman
6	1955	Jawaharlal Nehru	Politician, First Prime Minister
7	1957	Govind Ballabh Pant	Freedom Fighter, Politician
8	1958	Dr. Dhondo Keshav Karve	Statesman, Politician
9	1961	Purushottam Das Tandon	Freedom Fighter, Lawyer
10	1961	Dr. Bidhan Chandra Roy	Physician, Former Chief Minister of West Bengal
11	1962	Rajendra Prasad	Freedom Fighter, First President
12	1963	Zakir Hussain	Educator, Third President
13	1963	Dr. Pandurang Vaman Kane	Indologist, Sanskrit Scholar
14	1966	Lal Bahadur Shastri (Posthumous)	Politician, Second Prime Minister
15	1971	Indira Gandhi	Politician, Third Prime Minister
16	1975	Varahagiri Venkata Giri	Politician, Fourth President
17	1976	Kumaraswamy Kamraj (Posthumous)	Politician
18	1980	Mother Mary Teresa Bojaxhiu	Social Worker
19	1983	Acharya Vinoba Bhave	Social Worker
20	1987	Khan Abdul Ghaffar Khan	Politician (Pakistan)
21	1988	Marudur Gopalan Ramachandran (Posthumous)	Actor, Politician
22	1990	Dr.Bhim Rao RamjiAmbedkar (Posthumous)	Jurist, Politician
23	1990	Dr. Nelson Rolihlahla Mandela	Politician (South Africa)
24	1991	Rajiv Gandhi (Posthumous)	Politician, Former Prime Minister
25	1991	Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel (Posthumous)	Freedom Fighter, Deputy Prime Minister
26	1991	Morarji Ranchhodji Desai	Politician, Former Prime Minister
27	1992	Maulana Abul Kalam Azad (Posthumous)	Scholar, Politician
28	1992	Jehangir Ratanji Dadabhai Tata	Industrialist
29	1992	Satyajit Ray	Filmmaker
30	1997	Gulzarilal Nanda	Politician, Former Prime Minister
31	1997	Aruna Asaf Ali (Posthumous)	Freedom Fighter
32	1997	Dr. A.P.J. Abdul Kalam	Scientist, Former President
33	1998	Madurai Shanmukhavadivu Subbulakshmi	Musician
34	1998	Chidambaram Subramaniam	Scientist, President of International Rice Research Institute
35	1999	Jayaprakash Narayan (Posthumous)	Social Activist, Politician
36	1999	Professor Amartya Sen	Economist
37	1999	Lokpriya Gopinath Bordoloi (Posthumous)	Politician
38	1999	Pandit Ravi Shankar	Musician
39	2001	Lata Dinanath Mangeshkar	Musician
40	2001	Ustad Bismillah Khan	Musician
41	2009	Pandit Bhimsen Gururaj Joshi	Hindustani Classical Vocalist
42	2014	Sachin Tendulkar	Cricketer
43	2014	Prof. C. N. R. Rao	Chemist
44	2015	Atal Bihari Vajpayee	Politician, Former Prime Minister
45	2015	Pandit Madan Mohan Malaviya (Posthumous)	Lawyer, Educationist
46	2019	Nanaji Deshmukh (Posthumous)	Social Worker
47	2019	Dr. Bhupendra Kumar Hazarika (Posthumous)	Musician, Filmmaker
48	2019	Pranab Mukherjee	Politician, Former President
49	2024	Karpoori Thakur (Posthumous)	Politician, Former Chief Minister of Bihar
50	2024	Lal Krishna Advani	Politician, Former Deputy Prime Minister
51	2024	P.V. Narasimha Rao (Posthumous)	Politician, Former Prime Minister
52	2024	Chaudhary Charan Singh (Posthumous)	Politician, Former Prime Minister
53	2024	Dr. M.S. Swaminathan (Posthumous)	Geneticist, Plant Scientist

What does a Bharat Ratna Award Recipient get?

While the Bharat Ratna award is considered the highest civilian award in India, it doesn’t come with any monetary benefits. However, recipients do receive several prestigious honors and privileges:

Tangible Benefits

Sanad (certificate): A certificate signed by the President of India, recognizing their exceptional service.
Medallion: A bronze medallion in the shape of a peepal leaf, symbolizing growth and prosperity.

Intangible Benefits

Social Recognition: Recipients are widely respected and held in high regard throughout India.
Order of Precedence: They rank seventh in the Indian order of precedence, granting them protocol privileges at official events.
Diplomatic Passport: They are eligible for a diplomatic passport, offering expedited travel and other diplomatic benefits.
Government Dignitary Treatment: They receive special treatment when traveling within India, similar to government dignitaries.

While the Bharat Ratna doesn’t offer financial rewards, the recognition and respect associated with the award are considered highly valuable by recipients and a significant honor for their contributions to India.

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