When was Bharat Ratna established and how many people have received it to date?
By iastoppers.com
Bharat Ratna is India's highest civilian award, instituted on January 2, 1954, recognizing outstanding contributions across diverse fields without discrimination based on race or position
The award is open to any individual, irrespective of race, occupation, position, or sex, who has displayed exceptional service or performance of the highest order in any field
The Prime Minister recommends Bharat Ratnanominees to the President of India, with a maximum of three awards possible annually, and no formal recommendation is required
Recipients receive a Sanad (certificate) signed by the President and a medallion shaped like a peepal leaf; however, there is no monetary grant associated with the award
In 1954, the first Bharat Ratna recipients were C. V. Raman, C. Rajagopalachari, and Sarvepalli Radhakrishnan, setting a precedent for recognizing excellence
Bharat Ratna can be awarded posthumously; 14 individuals have received this honor, with Lal Bahadur Shastri being the first posthumous recipient
Sachin Tendulkar, the youngest awardee at 40, social reformer Dhondo Keshav Karve, and singer M. S. Subbulakshmi are among the 26 distinguished Bharat Ratna recipients
While Mother Teresa is the only naturalized Indian citizen to receive Bharat Ratna, Abdul Ghaffar Khan and Nelson Mandelaare the only non-Indians honored with this award
In 1992, the decision to confer Bharat Ratna on Netaji Subhas Chandra Bose faced opposition, leading to a unique instance in 1997 where the award was announced but not conferred, later canceled by a Supreme Court judgment