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Bharat Ratna is the highest civilian award which is awarded to any individual, without any distinction of race, position, or sex. The First Bharat Ratna Awards were given to C. Rajagopalachari, the former governor-general of the Union of India, Sarvepalli Radhakrishnan, Erstwhile President of India, and C.V. Raman, an Indian physicist, in the year 1954. Ever since there have been 53 awardees of the Bharat Ratna, out of which 18 were awarded posthumously. The first Bharat Ratna award winners are –
First Bharat Ratna Awards
| Year | Recipient(s) | Field | Reason |
| 1954 | Sarvepalli Radhakrishnan | Public Service | He led the Indian delegation to the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO; 1946–52). His incredible contribution to the field of education made him win the Bharat Ratna. |
| C. V. Raman | Science | He was the first scientist in India to get the Bharat Ratna because he discovered the scattering of Light. | |
| C. Rajagopalachari | Public Service | Founder of the Swatantra Party. He opposed the usage of nuclear weapons in the development of a nation. In recognition of his commendable service to the nation, he received the Bharat Ratna. |
Do you know?
National Science Day is celebrated on the 28 February every year to mark the discovery of the ‘Raman Effect.’
Also Read – 60 Interesting History Facts Everyone Should Know!
About the Bharat Ratna
Bharat means ‘India’ and Ratna means ‘Jewel.’ It clearly states the meaning of the Bharat Ratna, which is given to the ultimate gem of India. The Bharat Ratna award is given in recognition of individuals’ exceptional work in different fields. Moreover, it is only limited to three winners per year but in 1999, it was given to four people, and the latest Bharat Ratna 2024 was given to five awardees- Karpoori Thakur, L.K. Advani, P.V. Narasimha Rao, Charan Singh, and M.S. Swaminathan.
Relevant Blogs
This is all about the first Bharat Ratna award winners. For more content related to the different states of India, visit our articles like this, you can get Study notes on the Modern History of India here. Also, you can visit our general knowledge page on Indian History!