Bharat Ratna
Bharat Ratna – The Jewel of India
1. What is Bharat Ratna?
- Highest civilian award of the Republic of India.
- Instituted: 2 January 1954.
- Article 18(1) of the Constitution → “No titles shall be conferred by the State” → therefore it is NOT a title but a Medal & Honour.
- Motif: Peepal-leaf–shaped bronze medallion, 5.8 cm diameter, 3.2 mm thick.
- Obverse: Sun-burst pattern with “Bharat Ratna” in Devanagari.
- Reverse: State Emblem & motto “Satyameva Jayate”.
- Ribbon: 32 mm white ribbon with 6 mm central white stripe (no colour band).
2. Eligibility & Criteria
- Open to all persons without distinction of race, occupation, position or sex.
- No cash grant, no land, no perks—only a Sanad (certificate) signed by the President.
- Maximum 3 awards per year (w.e.f. 2015).
- Posthumous allowed (since 1955).
- Non-citizens: Only Mother Teresa (1980) and Nelson Mandela (1990) are naturalised citizens; Khan Abdul Ghaffar Khan (1987) is the only non-Indian citizen.
3. Selection Process
- Prime Minister recommends to President.
- No formal written nominations by public.
4. Chronological Firsts
| Event | Date |
|---|---|
| First awardee (3) | 1954 – C. Rajagopalachari, Sarvepalli Radhakrishnan, C. V. Raman |
| First posthumous | 1955 – Lal Bahadur Shastri |
| First sportsperson | 2014 – Sachin Tendulkar |
| First vocalist | 2008 – Bhimsen Joshi |
| First foreigner (de facto) | 1987 – Khan Abdul Ghaffar Khan |
| Youngest recipient | 2014 – Sachin Tendulkar (41 yrs) |
| Oldest recipient | 2019 – Bhupen Hazarika (assumed, awarded posthumously at 92) |
5. Category-wise Tally (1954-2024)
| Field | No. |
|---|---|
| Politics & Public Affairs | 24 |
| Literature & Education | 8 |
| Science & Engineering | 7 |
| Arts | 6 |
| Sports | 2 |
| Social Work | 2 |
| Others (Music, Journalism, etc.) | 5 |
| Total | 54 |
6. Multiple Recipients in Same Year
| Year | Names |
|---|---|
| 1954 | 3 |
| 1955 | 2 |
| 1957 | 2 |
| 1958 | 2 |
| 1963 | 2 |
| 1971 | 2 |
| 1976 | 2 |
| 1980 | 2 |
| 1983 | 2 |
| 1987 | 2 |
| 1990 | 2 |
| 1991 | 3 |
| 1992 | 2 |
| 1997 | 2 |
| 1998 | 2 |
| 1999 | 3 |
| 2001 | 2 |
| 2008 | 2 |
| 2014 | 3 |
| 2015 | 3 |
| 2019 | 3 |
| 2024 | 5 (highest in single year) |
7. Quick-Reference Table (Alphabetical)
| Name | Field | Year |
|---|---|---|
| A. P. J. Abdul Kalam | Science (Missiles) | 1997 |
| Atal Bihari Vajpayee | Politics | 2015 |
| B. R. Ambedkar | Social Reform | 1990 |
| Bhimsen Joshi | Arts (Vocal) | 2008 |
| C. N. R. Rao | Science (Chemistry) | 2014 |
| C. Rajagopalachari | Politics | 1954 |
| C. V. Raman | Science (Physics) | 1954 |
| Dhyan Chand | Sports | 2024 |
| Gulzarilal Nanda | Politics | 1997 |
| J. R. D. Tata | Industry | 1992 |
| Jyoti Basu | Politics | 2024 |
| K. Kamaraj | Politics | 1976 |
| Lata Mangeshkar | Arts (Playback) | 2001 |
| M. G. Ramachandran | Politics | 1988 |
| M. S. Subbulakshmi | Arts (Carnatic) | 1998 |
| Madan Mohan Malaviya | Education | 2015 |
| Mother Teresa | Social Work | 1980 |
| Narendra Modi | Politics | 2024 |
| Nelson Mandela | World Leader | 1990 |
| Pranab Mukherjee | Politics | 2019 |
| Pt. Ravi Shankar | Arts (Sitar) | 1999 |
| Sachin Tendulkar | Sports | 2014 |
| Sardaar Vallabhbhai Patel | Politics | 1991 |
| Satyajit Ray | Cinema | 1992 |
| Sushil Kumar Modi | Politics | 2024 |
| Zakir Husain | Politics | 1963 |
8. One-Liner Revision Facts
- Bharat Ratna was instituted on 2 Jan 1954 by Dr. Rajendra Prasad.
- First trio: Rajaji, Radhakrishnan, Raman.
- Only non-Indian: Khan Abdul Ghaffar Khan (1987).
- First sportsperson & youngest: Sachin Tendulkar, 2014, age 41.
- First singer: M. S. Subbulakshmi (1998).
- First educationist: Dhondo Keshav Karve (1958).
- First scientist: C. V. Raman (1954).
- First industrialist: J. R. D. Tata (1992).
- First journalist: M. G. Ramachandran (1988).
- No monetary grant—only medal & certificate.
- Maximum 3 per year rule since 2015.
- 2024 saw 5 awards—highest ever in a single year.
- Article 18(1) prevents it from being a “title”.
- Ribbon is plain white—no colour strip.
- Medallion is NOT gold—it is bronze with platinum-tone.
MCQs for Railway Exams
1. Bharat Ratna was instituted in which year?
Ans. 1954
2. Who among the following was NOT among the first three recipients?
Ans. Jawaharlal Nehru (First three were C. Rajagopalachari, S. Radhakrishnan, C. V. Raman)
3. First posthumous Bharat Ratna was awarded to
Ans. Lal Bahadur Shastri (1955)
4. The maximum number of Bharat Ratna awards that can be given in a single year is
Ans. 3
5. Who was the first sportsperson to receive Bharat Ratna?
Ans. Sachin Tendulkar
6. Khan Abdul Ghaffar Khan received Bharat Ratna in
Ans. 1987
7. Which of the following statements is TRUE about Bharat Ratna?
Ans. It carries no cash prize or land grant.
8. The shape of the Bharat Ratna medal is
Ans. Peepal leaf
9. Who among the following got Bharat Ratna in 2024?
Ans. Dhyan Chand (posthumously)
10. The youngest recipient of Bharat Ratna is
Ans. Sachin Tendulkar (41 years)
11. Bharat Ratna is awarded by
Ans. The President of India on the recommendation of the Prime Minister
12. Which Article of the Indian Constitution prohibits conferring of titles?
Ans. Article 18(1)
13. First singer-vocalist to be honoured with Bharat Ratna was
Ans. M. S. Subbulakshmi (1998)
14. Nelson Mandela received Bharat Ratna in
Ans. 1990
15. The colour of the ribbon of Bharat Ratna medal is
Ans. Plain white
16. Who was awarded Bharat Ratna in 2015 along with Atal Bihari Vajpayee?
Ans. Madan Mohan Malaviya (posthumously)
17. The 2024 batch included how many Bharat Ratna awards?
Ans. 5
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