General Knowledge

Bharat Ratna and Padma Awards: Key Facts

The Bharat Ratna, India's highest civilian award, was instituted in 1954. The first recipients were C. Rajagopalachari, S. Radhakrishnan and C. V. Raman. The Padma awards (Padma Vibhushan, Padma Bhushan and Padma Shri) were also instituted in 1954 and are announced around Republic Day.

Last reviewed 2026-10-15

Bharat Ratna facts

Instituted on 2 January 1954. Awarded for exceptional service in any field of human endeavour.
Not more than three persons can be awarded in a year.
Khan Abdul Ghaffar Khan (1987) and Nelson Mandela (1990) are the first non-Indian recipients.
Sachin Tendulkar (2014) is the first sportsperson to receive it.
The Supreme Court held in the Balaji Raghavan case (1996) that national awards are not titles under Article 18.

Other major awards

Padma Vibhushan, Padma Bhushan and Padma Shri are awarded in that order of rank.
Jnanpith Award: instituted in 1961 for literature. The first recipient (1965) was G. Sankara Kurup.
Dadasaheb Phalke Award: highest honour in Indian cinema, started in 1969, and Devika Rani was the first recipient.
The Khel Ratna award was renamed the Major Dhyan Chand Khel Ratna in 2021.

Frequently asked questions

When was the Bharat Ratna instituted?

In 1954.

Who were the first Bharat Ratna recipients?

C. Rajagopalachari, S. Radhakrishnan and C. V. Raman.

How many Bharat Ratna awards can be given in a year?

A maximum of three.