The Bharat Ratna is the highest civilian award of India, established in 1954. Any person without distinction of race, occupation, position or sex is eligible for these awards. It is awarded in recognition of exceptional service/performance of the highest order in any field of human endeavour.
The recommendations for Bharat Ratna are made by the Prime Minister himself to the President. No formal recommendations for this are necessary. A maximum of three Bharat Ratna awards can be conferred in any given year.
In terms of Article 18 (1) of the Constitution, the award cannot be used as a prefix or suffix to the recipient’s name. However, should an award winner consider it necessary, he/she may use the following expression in their biodata/letterhead/visiting card etc. to indicate that he/she is a recipient of the award: ‘Awarded Bharat Ratna by the President’ or ‘Recipient of Bharat Ratna Award’. But have you ever wondered who was the first person to be awarded Bharat Ratna by the President?
Sarvapalli Radhakrishnan, Sir C.V. Raman, and Chakravarti Rajagopalachari were the first recipients of the Bharat Ratna in 1954.
On conferment of the award, the recipient receives a Sanad (certificate) signed by the President and a medallion. The Award does not carry any monetary grant.
The Bharat Ratna was established on January 2, 1954, by Dr. Rajendra Prasad, the then President of India, following a resolution introduced by Prime Minister Jawaharlal Nehru in the Cabinet. Initially, the award was restricted to contributions in the fields of arts, literature, science, and public services. However, in 2011, its scope was broadened to encompass achievements in “any field of human endeavor.”
The Bharat Ratna was designed by Nandalal Bose, a distinguished artist and recipient of the Padma Vibhushan. The award features a medallion shaped like a peepal leaf, crafted from bronze. On the obverse side, it displays an image of the Sun along with the words “Bharat Ratna” inscribed in Devanagari script. The reverse side bears the State Emblem of India and the national motto, “Satyameva Jayate.” The medallion is suspended from a white ribbon and is worn around the neck.
Since its establishment in 1954, the Bharat Ratna has been awarded to 49 individuals, including 15 posthumous recipients. The inaugural honors in 1954 were bestowed upon C. Rajagopalachari for his contributions to politics, Sarvepalli Radhakrishnan for his work in education, and C. V. Raman for his achievements in science.
