NEW DELHI: Former President Pranab Mukherjeee on Thursday received the Bharat Ratna — the highest civilian award in the country — which was also conferred to late social activist Nanaji Deshmukh and late singer-composer Bhupen Hazarika.
Deshmukh and Hazarika’s family members received the awards on their behalf while Mukherjee received it himself.President Ram Nath Kovind conferred the awards at a ceremony in Rashtrapati Bhavan.
Pranab Mukherjee, fondly known as ‘Pranab Da’, has been the fifth president to receive this award. He was the president between 2012 and 2017.He has the rare distinction of having served at different times as Foreign, Defence, Commerce and Finance Minister. Mukherjee was elected to the Rajya Sabha five times from 1969, and twice to the Lok Sabha from 2004.
Nanaji Deshmukh was associated with the RSS from 1928 till his death in Satna, Madhya Pradesh, in 2010 at the age of 94 and was known for starting a chain of RSS-inspired schools throughout India.
He was one of the founder members of the Bharatiya Jan Sangh, which later evolved as Bharatiya Janata Party.He was considered to be one of the architects of the Jai Prakash Narayan’s movement against the Emergency in 1975 and among the key persons in the formation of the Janata Party government in 1977.
Bhupen Hazarika was a playback singer, lyricist, musician, singer, poet and filmmaker from Assam.He was awarded Sangeet Natak Akademi Award (1987), Padma Shri (1977), Dada Saheb Phalke Award (1992), Padma Bhushan (2001) and Padma Vibhushan (2012-posthumously).
Hazarika did his PhD from Columbia University in 1952. He died in 2011.Hazarika gave music in acclaimed Bollywood movies Rudaali, Darmiyaan, Gaja Gamini, Daman and many Assamese hits, including the award winning film ‘Sameli Memsaab’.
Later, after receiving Bharat Ratna, Pranab Mukherjee met Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Vice President Venkaiah Naidu. Prime Minister Narendra Modi had already congratulated Mukherjee for his decades of service to the country. “Pranab Da is an outstanding statesman of our times.
Vice President M Venkaikah Naidu, Prime Minister Narendra Modi, Home Minister Amit Shah, Defence Minister Rajnath Singh, several Union Cabinet Ministes, Assam Chief Minister Sarbananda Sonowal were among those present at the function held at the imposing Durbar Hall.
Bharat Ratna Award Winners Complete List (1954 – 2018)
1. Sir Sarvapalli Radhakrishnan (1888-1975)
Dr. S. Radhakrishnan was a philosopher from Tamil Nadu. He had been the First Vice President of India and the Second President of India. His birthday 5th September is commemorated as “Teachers Day”.
2. Chakravarthi Rajagopalachari (1878-1972)
Chakravarthi Rajagopalachari is also known as “Rajaji”. He was an Indian freedom fighter from Tamil Nadu. Rajaji was the last Governor General of British India.
3. Sir C.V. Raman (1888-1970)
He was a physicist from Tamil Nadu.
4. Bhagawan Das (1869-1958)
He was a man of Literature and an Indian Freedom fighter belonging to Uttar Pradesh.
5. Sir Mokshagundam Visvesvarayya 1861-1962)
He was a Diwan of the Princely State of Mysore-Karnataka. He was an Indian Civil Engineer and Dam Architect.
6. Pandit Jawaharlal Nehru (1889-1964)
The First Prime Minister of India and an Indian Freedom Fighter and Writer belonging to Uttar PradeshIn 1956, nobody won the Bharat Ratna Award.
7. Govind Ballabh Pant (1887-1961)
An Indian Freedom Fighter and Home Minister of Indian Union belonging to Uttar Pradesh, now Uttara Khand.
8. Dhondo Keshav Karve (1858-1962)
He was an Educationist and a Social Reformer belonging to Maharashtra- Awarded Bharat Ratna in his birth centenary year 1958.
In 1959 and 1960, nobody won the Bharat Ratna Award.
9. Dr B.C. Roy (1882-1962)
A Physician, Politician and Former Chief Minister of West Bengal belonging to West Bengal.
10. Purushottam Das Tandon (1882-1962)
An Indian Freedom Fighter and an Educationist belonging to Uttar Pradesh.
11. Babu Rajendra Prasad (1884-1963)
He was the First President of India, a freedom fighter and a Jurist belonging to Bihar.
12. Zakir Hussain (1897-1969)
He was a former president of India and a scholar belongs from Andhra Pradesh
13. Pandurang Vaman Kane (1880-1972)
Ideologist and Sanskrit scholar belonging to Maharashtra
14. Lal Bahadur Shastri (1904-1966)
He was the second Prime Minister of India. He belongs from Uttar Pradesh and awarded Posthumously.
15. Indira Gandhi (1917-1984)
She was a former and the first and the only lady Prime Minister of India. She is a Daughter of Pandit Jawaharlal Nehru, belongs from Uttar Pradesh.
16. V.V. Giri (1894-1980)
He was Former President and Trade Unionist originally belonging to Orissa/Odisha. He was born in Orissa and later settled in Tamil Nadu after the age of 21.
17. K. Kamaraj (1903-1975)
A Freedom Fighter and Former Chief Minister of Tamil Nadu. He belongs to Tamil Nadu and awarded Posthumously.
From 1977 to 1979, there were no winners. The Bharat Ratna Award had been kept suspended by the Government of India, From 13th July 1977 to 26th January 1980.
18. Mother Teresa (1910-1997)
She was a Nobel Laureate, a foreigner belonging to the Republic of Macedonia- dedicated to the sick people of India especially for those who were affected by Leprosy.
19. Acharya Vinoba Bhave (1895-1982)
A Social Reformer and a Freedom Fighter belonging to Maharashtra and Awarded Posthumously.
20. Khan Abdul Ghaffar Khan “Frontier Gandhi”, (1890-1988)
The first non-citizen awarded Bharat Ratna, a freedom fighter who belongs to Pakistan.
21. M.G. Ramachandran/MGR (1917-1987)
He was a Former Chief Minister of Tamil Nadu. A Popular Cinema Actor belongs to Tamil Nadu, awarded Posthumously.
22. Dr B.R. Ambedkar (1891-1956)
An architect who played a key role in the formation of the Indian Constitution, a Social Reformer, Economist, and scholar. He belongs to Maharashtra and awarded Posthumously.
23. Nelson Mandela (1918-2013)
He is the second non-citizen and the first non-Indian awarded Bharat Ratna. A leader of the Anti-Apartheid movement belongs to South Africa.
24. Rajiv Gandhi (1944-1991)
He was the Former Prime Minister of India and he was the son of Mrs Indira Gandhi, Grandson of Pandit Jawaharlal Nehru. He belongs to New Delhi, awarded Posthumously.
25. Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel (1875-1950)
He was an Indian Freedom Fighter and the First Home Minister of India. He belongs to Gujarat, awarded Posthumously.
26. Morarji Desai (1896-1995)
He was the former Prime Minister of India and Indian freedom fighter. He belongs to Gujarat. He was the first ever Non-Congress Prime Minister of India.
27. Maulana Abdul Kalam Azad (1888-1958)
He was a freedom fighter and the first Education Minister of India. he belongs to West Bengal, awarded posthumously.
28. J.R. D. Tata (1904-1993)
He was an Industrialist and a Philanthropist belonging to Maharashtra.
29. Satyajit Ray (1922-1992)
He was a popular Bengali-Film Director and an Oscar Award, Winner.
.30. A.P.J. Abdul Kalam (1931-2015)
He was a former President of India- Atomic Scientist, belongs to Tamil Nadu.
31. Gulzarilal Nanda (1898-1998)
An Indian Freedom Fighter and a former Prime Minister of India. Belongs to Punjab.
32. Aruna Ali (1908-1996)
An Indian Freedom Fighter belongs to West Bengal. Awarded posthumously.
33. M.S. Subbulakshmi (1916-2004)
She were a Carnatic Music vocalist, belongs to Tamil Nadu.
34. Chidambaram/ C.S. (1910-2000)
An Indian Freedom fighter and former Indian Union Minister of Agriculture. Belongs to Tamil Nadu.
35. Jayaprakash Narayan (1902-1979)
He was the Freedom Fighter and a Social Reformer. He belongs to Bihar, awarded Posthumously.
36. Pandit Ravi Shankar (1920-2012)
He was a Classical Sitarist, belongs to Uttar Pradesh.
37. Amartya Sen (born in 1933)
He is an Indian Economist and a Nobel Laureate (for Economics, 1998). Belongs to West Bengal.
38. Gopinath Bordoloi (1890-1950)
He was an Indian Freedom Fighter belongs to Assam. Awarded Posthumously.
In 2000, there was no winner.
39. Lata Mangeshkar (born in 1929)
She is a Hindi-cinema-play back singer, belongs to Maharashtra.
40. Ustad Bismillah Khan (1916-2006)
He was a classical Shehnai-Maestro, belongs to Bihar.
41. Pandit Bhimshen Gururaj Joshi (1922-2011)
He was a Hindustani Classical Vocalist, belongs to Karnataka.
42. Sachin Ramesh Tendulkar (born in 1973)
He is an Indian Sports Person (Cricketer).
43. C.N. Rao
Indian Chemist, the man behind India’s Maiden ‘Mars’-Mission.
In 2014, there were two winners.
.44. Atal Bihari Vajpayee (born in 1924)
He had been a Former Prime Minister of India.
45. Madan Mohan Malviya (1861-1946)
Indian Politician and the founder of Banaras Hindu University/ BHU, Awarded Posthumously.
These are the great personalities who had received the “Bharat Ratna” Award Posthumously.
