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Bharat Ratna
India has produced a heritage of brave souls since ancient times. No degree of awards or recognition is sufficient to compute their sacrifices, however, we cannot close our eyes to those people who have made our country proud by excelling in their own fields and bringing us international recognition. Bharat Ratna is the highest civilian honor given for outstanding service towards advancement of Art, Literature and Science and in recognition of Public Service of the highest order. Bharat Ratna is a highly honorable award of India. Bharat Ratna comprises of two words Bharat and Ratna, Bharat means India and Ratna means jewel. So meaning of this Award is "Jewel of India".
The Bharat Ratna award was to be bestowed for the highest degree of national service including scientific achievements, recognized public service of highest order, literary and artistic until 2011. Government of India further modified the criteria in December 2011 to allow sportspersons for this award since then Bharat Ratna may be bestowed for the presentation of highest array in any turf of individual endeavor.
The Bharat Ratna can be awarded to any person without sex, occupation, position or race. The recommendations for this award are made by the Prime Minister of India to the President of India and only three awards are made in a year. Bharat Ratna does not carry a monetary grant and also does not grant any pre or post nominal letters or titles.
History of Bharat Ratna
The first president of India Dr. Rajendra Prasad ordered to establish the Bharat Ratna award on 2nd January 1955. The original law of 1954 did not make any provision for posthumous awards that’s why Bharat Ratna perhaps was never given to Mahatma Gandhi. Later, this provision of law was amended in January 1966 statute. Since then, twelve posthumous awards have been bestowed including the decoration to Netaji Subhash Chandra Bose in 1992. Bharat Ratna award to Netaji was later withdrawn on legal grounds thus making it the sole case of withdrawing this highest civilian award till now. There isn’t any official provision that this award should be awarded to Indian citizens only. Two non-Indians Khan Abdul Gaffar Khan (1987), Nelson Mandela (1990) and one naturalized Indian citizen Mother Teresa were bestowed with Bharat Ratna. The award was temporarily poised from July 1977 to January 1980. It is also not compulsory that Bharat Ratna be given every year.
The receiver of this award is given a certificate which is signed by the President and also a medallion. This Medal is of the shape of a Peepal leaf and has words "BHARAT RATNA" Engraved in Devnagri Script.
The youngest alive person of this award is Sachin Tendulkar (40) and the eldest alive person at the time of receiving this award was Keshav Karve (100). Sardar Patel (75) is the eldest among posthumously awardees.
Medallion Details of Bharat Ratna
First Medallion
The original provision for the award was for a spherical gold medal, 35 mm in diameter, with the sun and the legend "Bharat Ratna" (in Devnagri) above and a flowery circlet underneath. The reverse was to carry the state emblem and slogan.
Second Medallion
One year later the design was altered. The decoration is in the form of a Peepal leaf, about 5.8 cm long, 4.7 cm wide and 3.1 mm thick. On its obverse is embossed a replica of the sun, 1.6 cm in diameter, below which the words Bharat Ratna are embossed in Devnagari script. On the reverse are State emblem and the slogan. The emblem, the sun and the rim are of platinum. The inscriptions are in burnished bronze.
The award is attached to a 2-inch-wide (51mm) white ribbon, and is designed to be worn around the recipient's collar.
List of Award Winners in India
The first ever Indian to be given this award was the well-known scientist, Chandrasekhara Venkata Raman. Since then, several dignitaries, each an expert in diverse aspects of their line of work has received this desirable award. The links below provide the complete list of Padma Bhushan awardees.
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